Insect-killing bacteria typically release toxins to slay their hosts. The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, for example, pumps insect larvae full of the lethal 'Makes caterpillars floppy 1' (Mcf1) ...

A small protein active in the human immune response can disable bacterial toxins by exploiting a property that makes the toxins effective - but also turns out to be a weakness. These toxins, which are ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Physician who writes about the rising rates of cancer in young adults. If you open any social media app, podcast feed, or ...

Researchers have discovered a new group of bacterial toxins that can kill harmful bacteria and fungi, opening the door to potential new treatments for infections. These toxins, found in over 100,000 ...

Spiders are among Earth’s most resourceful predators, nabbing prey by any means necessary. Orb weavers spin webs for capture. Wolf spiders ambush on the ground at night. Almost all spiders use venom ...

Marcos de Moraes, center, with his lab team at Rice University. When bacteria battle for survival, they do so with microscopic precision. Some produce toxins that target rival microbes, shaping not ...

Researchers solved a long-standing mystery behind how a bacterial toxin associated with colorectal cancer damages the colon. The toxin first binds to a receptor called claudin-4, giving it access to ...

Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that ...