Using the genomic shortcut to predict bacterial behavior
The researchers discovered that the parasitic bacterium has the standard large circular chromosome plus two unexpected plasmids, small circular pieces of DNA that can replicate on their own.

Will the plague pathogen become resistant to antibiotics?
A small piece of DNA that helps bacteria commonly found in US meat and poultry resist several antibiotics has also been found in the plague bacillus Yersinia pestis

Scientists discover gene that controls speed of tuberculosis development
Scientists at the MUHC have discovered a gene that controls the speed at which patients develop tuberculosis-the first time such a gene has been discovered for this disease.

Resistance genes in our food supply
Could the food we eat be contributing to the continuing rise of antibiotic-resistant infections?

Scientists discover the gene that causes the smell of the earth and leads camels to water
Scientists at the John Innes Centre, Norwich have discovered the gene that gives freshly turned soil its distinctive smell.

Researchers use dirt to stay one step ahead of antibiotic resistance
Dirt may be a key to how bacteria that infect humans develop a resistance to antibiotic drugs

Evolution of mosaic operons by horizontal gene transfer and gene displacement in situ
Shuffling and disruption of operons and horizontal gene transfer are major contributions to the new, dynamic view of prokaryotic evolution.

Evolution of ribonuclease H genes in prokaryotes to avoid inheritance of redundant genes
The authors analyzed the molecular evolution of the ribonuclease H (RNase H) family in prokaryotes and used the results to examine the implications of functional redundancy for gene evolution.

Identification of gene targets against dormant phase Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections
A novel and comprehensive meta-analysis of the M. tuberculosis gene expression and gene disruption microarray data sets is presented.

Typhoid carriers: a Salmonella gene mutation?
Salmonella enterica causes approximately 16 million cases of typhoid fever worldwide, killing around 500,000 per year.

Understanding epidemics of antibiotic-resistant Enterococci
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria, in particular Vancomycin resistance in enterococci, is a growing problem in hospitals.

Are bacteria turning our own weapons against us?
Scientists have identified what may be a completely new way in which bacteria defend themselves against their hosts.

Mortality rate is twice as high in patients with pneumonia caused by highly resistant bacteria
Patients suffering from hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria that is highly resistant to virtually all antibiotics are twice as likely to die as patients infected with other, less resistant bacteria

Antibiotic Resistance and Gene Transfer
The way antibiotic resistance spreads and possible problems from genes transferring have been identified by researchers

Drug resistant hospital bugs also learning to beat disinfectant, say scientists
Dangerous multi-drug-resistant bacteria are also developing immunity to hospital disinfectants and antiseptics, according to new research

Where Bacteria Get Their Genes
Bacteria acquired up to 90 percent of their genetic material from distantly related bacteria species, according to new research...