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.
A group of researchers has analyzed 1,240 wastewater samples from 351 cities in 111 different countries and found that bacterial latent antimicrobial resistance is widespread on all the world's continents. The research was ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 28, 2025
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Bacteria that multiply on surfaces are a major headache in health care when they gain a foothold on, for example, implants or in catheters. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have found a new weapon ...
Bio & Medicine
Nov 28, 2025
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By analyzing Escherichia coli (E. coli) genomes, researchers have shown that antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the genes that confer resistance move between bacterial hosts and across ecological compartments freely in ...
Ecology
Nov 26, 2025
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Marine viruses deploy a sophisticated Trojan horse maneuver that enables them to dismantle the energy systems of ocean bacteria and use the breakdown products for self-replication. This finding comes from a study conducted ...
Ecology
Nov 25, 2025
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A new study shows that microplastics in the natural environment are colonized by pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The study team calls for urgent action for waste management and strongly recommends wearing ...
Environment
Nov 25, 2025
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It's an evolutionary battle, an endless competition for survival, that has spanned millions of years. Within this epic tale for the ages, the skillful characters are mighty, but very, very tiny—they're microscopic. It's bacteria ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 24, 2025
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Amoebae living in a creek in Mumbai are acting as a "Trojan horse," harboring and protecting multidrug resistant bacteria, according to new research.
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 24, 2025
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Potential treatments for one of the world's most dangerous hospital superbugs have been found in a surprising location—hospital toilets.
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 20, 2025
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Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, occur worldwide in many varieties, including in single-cell form and in chains called filaments. While these tiny life forms can strongly influence many ecosystems, the details ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 20, 2025
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Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing challenges to global public health as harmful microbes evolve to evade these medications.
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 19, 2025
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