One species of bacteria seems to get many of the perks of sexual reproduction without actually having sex, a new study finds. Different strains of bacteria called Mycobacterium smegmatis swap large, ...

Endosymbiotic relationships—in which one organism lives within another—are striking examples of mutualism, and can often significantly shape the biology of the participant species. In new findings ...

Whether dormant bacteria begin to reproduce is no accident. Rather, they are simply waiting for a clear signal from a single protein in the cell interior. Researchers have now deciphered the molecular ...

In a groundbreaking study, researcher Kostas Konstantinidis has reshaped our understanding of microbial life, challenging the long-standing belief that bacteria do not form distinct species. For years ...

Researchers have discovered that virus-like nanoparticles can promote the multicellular organization and reproduction of host bacteria. These particles, which are evolutionarily related to phages ...

Understanding the differences between bacteria and viruses is crucial for recognizing how these microorganisms impact our health. While both are microscopic and can cause infections, they differ ...

Ostracod ovarium with endosymbiotic bacteria (Cardinium) in magenta. Ostracods, sometimes called seed shrimp, are nearly microscopic, aquatic organisms, inhabiting all types of marine and freshwater ...

DNA molecules called plasmids – some of which protect bacteria from antibiotics – can spread rapidly through bacterial "communities" that are treated with antibiotics, new research shows. Plasmids are ...