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 ...

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 ...

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

James Chappell, associate professor of biosciences and bioengineering at Rice University. In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, ...

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 ...

Genomic islands are substantial segments of DNA embedded within bacterial genomes that are typically acquired through horizontal gene transfer. These regions frequently harbour clusters of genes ...

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 ...

Given the growing antibiotic resistance crisis, novel ways to target bacterial infections are becoming increasingly important. One potential strategy is to manipulate bacterial genes at the ...

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

Researchers have uncovered a key link between the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and the evolution of resistance to new drugs in certain pathogens. Bacteria exposed to higher levels of ...