Bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors represent a promising class of antimicrobial agents that target essential enzymes involved in DNA replication and maintenance. By inhibiting enzymes such as DNA ...

Two bacteria are sitting near free-floating DNA. Suddenly, one bacterium shoots out a long appendage, latches onto a DNA fragment and reels in its catch. It happens fast, but it’s clear: this organism ...

Deep in coastal mangroves and even inside our own mouths, biologists are finding that DNA does not always sit in a simple loop at the cell’s center. A giant microbe called Thiovulum imperiosus has now ...

Researchers from Durham University, Jagiellonian University (Poland) and the John Innes Centre have achieved a breakthrough in understanding DNA gyrase, a vital bacterial enzyme and key antibiotic ...

As antibiotic-resistant infections rise and are projected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, scientists are looking to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as an alternative.

Discover how a tiny RNA molecule serves as a molecular switch in viral infections, providing insights into phage biology.

A new technique, which involves melting bacterial DNA found in blood samples, could deliver diagnoses of potentially fatal infections faster than ever before. Results may be obtained in a few hours, ...

Microbiologists have long known that ancient, inactive viruses known as cryptic prophages can insert their genetic material into bacterial DNA. These genetic fragments allow bacteria to use ...

Colibactin is a powerful toxin produced by Escherichia coli and other bacteria living in the human gut. This highly unstable bacterial product causes mutations in DNA that have been linked to ...

As the number of antibiotic-resistant infections continues to rise, scientists are looking to bacteriophages (“phages”), viruses that infect bacteria, as an approach to tackling antibiotic resistance.