Viruses attack nearly every living organism on Earth. To do so, they rely on highly specialized proteins that recognize and ...

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has steadily accelerated in recent years to become a global health crisis. As deadly bacteria evolve new ways to elude drug treatments for a variety of illnesses, a growing ...

Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are unique, phage‐like particles produced by various Alphaproteobacteria that mediate the horizontal transfer of genetic material. Unlike conventional bacteriophages, GTAs ...

Antibiotic resistance is widely recognized as one of the greatest global public health threats, but scientists are now uncovering an unexpected ...

Carrying multiple copies of antibiotic-resistance genes could be key to resistance spread and evolution in bacteria, particularly those in humans and livestock. Researchers at Duke University (NC, USA ...

In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, drive antibiotic resistance and even shape entire ecosystems. Now an interdisciplinary ...

Claims that hundreds of bacterial genes have been transferred directly into humans are unfounded, according to a study published in June 21 Nature. The initial report by the International Human Genome ...

New research shows that a large, ubiquitous mobile genetic element changes the antagonistic weaponry of Bacteroides fragilis, a common bacterium of the human gut. Bacteria evolve rapidly in the human ...

If you still remember that “Dear King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti,” you’ll likely also recall the corresponding taxonomic ranks of biology: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, ...