Two life forms living together helped spark the evolution of all complex life. By learning to appreciate this process more ...

Within a tiny plankton, an even smaller cell has been found living an unexpectedly virus-like existence, challenging what it ...

Bacteria and archaea have developed multiple antiviral mechanisms. Here, Tesson et al. present a tool that automatically detects known antiviral systems in prokaryotic genomes, ...

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada City with her new golden retriever Frankie, her Maine coon cat Indy, and the infinite spirits of her beloved goldens Joey and Casey. You can reach Joan at ...

Salinity is a rising threat to global agriculture, severely limiting crop productivity and damaging soil health. New research reveals how the ...

As Earth enters an age of rapid ecological change, a quiet revolution is taking place in freezers chilled to -80°C.

Explore the growing importance of culture banks in global life sciences research, supporting innovation, and scientific ...

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are common in bacteria and archaea and contribute to phage defense. Here, the authors structurally and biochemically characterize a new anti-phage TA system, ShosTA.

Washington State University researchers have discovered how the bacteria that cause anaplasmosis and Lyme disease hijack ...

Not only do mitochondria serve as the engine of the cell – they also act as watchtowers for the immune system.

Mitochondria have primarily been known as the energy-producing components of cells. But scientists are increasingly ...

Anaerobic bacteria were among the first life forms on Earth and existed at a time when there was no oxygen in the atmosphere.