bacterial communication, microbiology

The compounds responsible for the earthy smell of recent rain are produced by a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. Recent research sheds light on why microbes bother.

Unlike other cellular appendages, bacterial nanotubes are made solely of lipids and can connect the cytoplasm of different microbial species.

Several labs have reported the formation of bacterial nanotubes under different, often contrasting conditions. What are these structures and why are they so hard to reproduce?

Differences in how researchers prepare and image samples can lead to discrepancies in their results.

While concern over SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats has captured attention, scientists have also been investigating whether pets can transmit multidrug-resistant bacteria to us.

Transposon mutagenesis give scientists a rare look at the most important interactions within microbial communities.

Updated classics and new techniques help microbiologists get up close and quantitative.

Meet some of the people featured in the May 2013 issue of The Scientist.