Viruses attack nearly every living organism on Earth. To do so, they rely on highly specialized proteins that recognize and bind to receptors on the surface of target cells, a molecular arms race that ...

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 ...

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a microbial community phenomenon that essentially equates to teaching neighbors how to complete necessary tasks by ripping out and sharing ...

In the race of evolution, innovating is certainly necessary, but recycling existing genes is sometimes more efficient. Indeed, organisms that are very distant from each other can exchange a ...

Using models of vertical inheritance and horizontal transfer, they found that low doses of tetracycline, ampicillin, kanamycin, and streptomycin stabilize resistance and promote gene transfer across ...

The discovery of a hot spot for horizontal gene transfer draws attention to the possible roles of parasites and ecology in such changes. Perched on a leaf in the rainforest, the tiny golden mantella ...