Bacteria are a major domain of prokaryotic microorganisms characterized by the absence of a membrane-bound nucleus, typically possessing a single circular chromosome, 70S ribosomes, and peptidoglycan-containing cell walls. They exhibit diverse morphologies (e.g., cocci, bacilli, spirilla) and metabolic strategies, including aerobic, anaerobic, phototrophic, chemolithotrophic, and heterotrophic lifestyles. Bacteria reproduce primarily by binary fission and undergo extensive horizontal gene transfer via transformation, transduction, and conjugation, driving rapid adaptation. They occupy virtually all ecological niches, form complex communities such as biofilms, and play central roles in biogeochemical cycles, host-associated microbiomes, biotechnology, and pathogenesis research.
Microbes often display cooperative behavior in which individual cells put in work and sacrifice resources to collectively benefit the group. But sometimes, "cheater" cells in the group may reap the benefits of this cooperation ...
Evolution
Jan 8, 2026
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A new study reveals that bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment through two fundamentally different "shutdown modes," not just the classic idea of dormancy. The paper is published in the journal Science Advances.
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 2, 2026
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72
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health crisis that makes common infections harder to treat and puts many medical procedures at risk. Now, Carnegie Mellon University researchers have uncovered a vulnerability in ...
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 19, 2025
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Marine bacteria are key to determining whether carbon is recycled near the ocean surface or transported to deeper waters, but many operate in constant threat of being infected by viruses called phages, and mutate to fend ...
Ecology
Dec 19, 2025
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30
Halalaimus is a microscopic nematode genus commonly found in sediment on the seafloor. It lives 1–5 cm below the sediment surface and grazes on bacteria or organic materials in the sediment.
Plants & Animals
Dec 18, 2025
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As antibiotic-resistant infections rise and are projected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, scientists are looking to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as an alternative.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 18, 2025
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27
A study led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) has revealed critical new details about one of the ocean's most abundant life forms—SAR11 marine bacteria. Understanding these ...
Ecology
Dec 17, 2025
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Viruses and bacteria get a bad rap around the world, but now Flinders University experts are identifying the positive "upside" of powerful benefits that microbes have on human health.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 16, 2025
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Bacteria are among the most diverse and ancient forms of life on Earth. Yet, much of what is known about them comes from a small group of species, mostly studied for their roles in human health.
Evolution
Dec 12, 2025
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42
Researchers at University Medicine Oldenburg have developed an AI tool that delivers fewer false-positive results than conventional screening methods when testing bacteria for resistance to reserve antibiotics. The research ...
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 10, 2025
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