Birmingham scientists have identified an essential genetic code for a method called plasmid curing, which aims to "displace" antibiotic-resistance genes from bacteria. Plasmids, which are small, ...

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs. Bacteria have multiple defence ...

Genetic variations, such as mutations, recombinations, or transpositions occur naturally in cultured microorganisms and are often considered nonneutral mutations. Neutral mutations are neither ...

A new study by Tel Aviv University reveals how bacterial defense mechanisms can be neutralized, enabling the efficient transfer of genetic material between bacteria. The researchers believe this ...

Researchers have discovered that some bacteria use a protein called YokF to actively block plasmid DNA transfer through nanotubes, preventing neighboring cells from acquiring potentially beneficial ...

As it turns out, the most powerful tool for tinkering with nature’s blueprints came from nature itself. Developed in the early 2010s, CRISPR is a technique for editing DNA with painstaking precision.

A biohybrid nanorobot pairs a bacterial virus with catalytic nanoparticles to destroy drug-resistant biofilms and shred the ...

Cyanobacteria—ancient microbes that oxygenated Earth and made complex life possible—are still revealing surprises billions of ...

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat that is already thought to contribute to the deaths of millions of people every year. One reason for this serious problem is that bacterial cells can easily ...