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.
Soil microbes benefit plants by helping with nutrient uptake and disease resistance. Modulating these communities of bacteria and fungi could potentially sustainably improve agriculture, according to the Food and Agriculture ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 3, 2025
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Microbes are masters of survival, evolving ingenious strategies to capture energy from their surroundings. For decades, scientists believed that only a handful of bacteria used specialized molecular "circuits" to shuttle ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 3, 2025
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A team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology has discovered a new class of bacterial mobile genetic elements that use giant viruses—known as jumbo phages—to move between cells. The work, published in the ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 3, 2025
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28
Every year, around 600 million people are struck down by foodborne illnesses. The culprits are often common yet dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella, that thrive in undercooked or improperly handled food. These ...
At the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)—Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), biologist Jessie Vandierendonck has been investigating new, alternative treatments to combat bacterial infections using (bacterio)phages, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 31, 2025
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212
New research has found that social interactions among meerkats may be crucial to their health and survival—thanks to the sharing of beneficial gut bacteria.
Ecology
Oct 30, 2025
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Through cutting-edge methods and advanced artificial intelligence analysis, UNC Charlotte researchers leading a multidisciplinary team across four universities have successfully resolved the entire genome of "Phage G," the ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 29, 2025
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70
The microbiome—the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live quietly in our body—plays a crucial role in shaping human health by providing a variety of micronutrients necessary for vital functions. But these tiny ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 29, 2025
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Collaborating researchers have made a breakthrough discovery regarding the intricate defense systems of bacteriophages (phages)—viruses that can specifically target harmful bacteria without harming human cells and beneficial ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 28, 2025
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33
New research from the Champalimaud Foundation (CF) reveals how missing just one essential amino acid can change gene expression and the brain's sensory systems, prompting animals to seek out protein-rich yeast and gut bacteria ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 27, 2025
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