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 new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the deadly drug-resistant bacteria NDM-CRE found a 70% rise in infections in the U.S. between 2019 and 2023. Also known as "nightmare bacteria," NDM-CRE ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 13, 2025
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Everywhere you go, you carry a population of microbes in your gastrointestinal tract that outnumber the human cells making up your body.
Evolution
Oct 9, 2025
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Researchers at Umeå University have identified a key molecular player that helps bacteria survive the hostile environment inside the body. Their study, published in the journal mBio, reveals how the protein RfaH acts as a ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 9, 2025
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Long before plants and algae, cyanobacteria were already performing photosynthesis—filling Earth's skies with oxygen and setting the stage for life as we know it. The ultra-prevalent bacteria are critical to the global carbon ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 8, 2025
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Researchers at Umeå University have discovered that the microscopic "bubbles" released by bacteria in our body do not just drift around randomly. Instead, they use the thin protrusions of cells as a transport route to quickly ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 8, 2025
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Researchers have unveiled a surprising new way that soil microbes can use sunlight energy—even after the lights go out. A team from Kunming University of Science and Technology and the University of Massachusetts Amherst ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 8, 2025
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A rare microorganism found in an unexpected environment may be evading detection by "playing dead," according to microbiologists at the University of Houston.
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 7, 2025
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Newcastle scientists have developed an efficient new model to track bacterial responses to toxic chemicals and nutrients.
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 7, 2025
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A new study has, for the first time, uncovered a connection between bacteria living in Norway spruce needles and gold nanoparticles. This discovery could pave the way for environmentally friendly gold exploration methods, ...
Bio & Medicine
Oct 6, 2025
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118
Despite rapid advances in reading the genetic code of living organisms, scientists still face a major challenge today—knowing a gene's sequence does not automatically reveal what it does. Even in simple, well-studied bacteria ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 6, 2025
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