Scientists are uncovering the secrets of one of nature's most primitive immune systems through studying how bacteria incorporate foreign DNA from invading viruses into their own regulatory processes.

Our ability to generate bacterial strains with unique and increasingly complex functions has rapidly expanded in recent times. The capacity for DNA synthesis is increasing and costing less; new tools ...

Gut bacteria evolve rapidly in response to different diets, UCLA evolutionary biologists report in a new study. The ...

Gram-positive bacteria show blue or purple after Gram-staining in a laboratory test. They have thick cell walls. Gram-negative bacteria show pink or red on staining and have thin walls. They release ...

Every day, chemical factories produce a wide range of products that will be extremely difficult to do without in a modern society; everything from medicines like insulin and antibiotics to fertilizers ...

Our gut microbes are key to our health, but they may also shape our evolution, according to a new hypothesis. Expanding on the concept of the hologenome -- the host genome together with the genomes of ...

Common medications can accumulate in gut bacteria, a new study has found, altering bacterial function and potentially reducing the effectiveness of the drug. These interactions – seen for a variety of ...

Bifidobacteria are a group of bacteria called probiotics that normally live in your intestines and stomach. They help your body perform essential functions such as digestion and staving off harmful ...