All Ecology & Evolution articles
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NewsHidden genome variation steers growth in fungus-dependent orchid
A chromosome-level genome and population survey of the fungus-dependent orchid Gastrodia elata has revealed how hidden genetic differences may shape growth, tuber form, and carbohydrate allocation.
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NewsAncient smallpox genomes reveal how European colonisation brought the disease to the Americas
Researchers have recovered and analysed the first ancient smallpox virus genomes ever identified in the Americas, providing the strongest direct evidence to date that the disease was introduced through European colonisation.
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NewsEvolutionary history may help explain why some people develop more severe COVID-19 than others
A study suggests that some of the genes involved in the body’s immune response today bear the marks of ancient battles with infectious diseases. It also identified rare genetic variants that may help explain why some people developed more severe COVID-19 than others.
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NewsIn the right place, even a less fit species can win
A study based on mathematical models shows that, when competing populations colonize new territory, greater fitness is not enough: position and expansion speed also matter.
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NewsHow bats tolerate viruses: study sheds light on one of nature’s biggest immune mysteries
Researchers have found that the world’s largest family of bats has two distinct copies of the genes that produce antibodies, the specialized proteins that help the immune system recognize and fight infections. Every other known mammal has only one such set.
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NewsDeadly superbug CR-hvKP: new framework says ‘watch virulence, not just resistance genes’
Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) represents one of the most alarming evolutionary developments in modern infectious diseases—a “superbug” that combines high-level antibiotic resistance with enhanced virulence.
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NewsResearch on foul odors and open wounds targets flesh-eating screwworm
Scientists are studying foul-smelling substances to figure out what attracts the New World screwworm to its favorite meal – open wounds – to develop better lures for trapping this serious threat to the livestock industry.
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NewsHow changing environments can preserve an ancient microbial survival strategy
A theory explains how a seemingly self-destructive behaviour known as “latecomer killing” could persist for hundreds of millions of years.
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NewsFloating colonies: engineering three-dimensional microbial architectures in liquid cultures
Researchers develop an innovative platform for engineering three-dimensional microbial structures while preserving molecular diffusion, microbial motility, and growth.
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NewsFrom urinary tract infection to brain abscess: How bacterial subpopulations can spread to distant body sites
Researchers present a remarkable clinical case that provides new insights into the evolution of bacterial pathogens and presents the concept of heterovirulence, i.e., the simultaneous presence of subpopulations with different levels of virulence within a single infection.
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NewsPartners in crime produce extreme antibiotic resistance
A study shows how environmental bacteria enter the lungs during an infection and transfer antibiotic resistance genes to disease-causing bacteria.
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NewsIndustrial poultry farming is accelerating the spread of a major foodborne disease
A new study reveals that industrial poultry farming has led to more than 100-fold increase in the movement of Campylobacter, allowing strains that once circulated in wild birds to mix extensively in commercial poultry populations.
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NewsGut microbiomes follow distinct trajectories during urbanization across South Asia
An international team of researchers studied communities across India and Sri Lanka to understand the impact of urbanization, local diets, and culture on the gut microbiome.
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NewsAntibiotic-tolerant bacteria rely on a hidden survival strategy
Scientists have uncovered how S. pneumoniae adapts to antibiotic exposure and immune pressures. Their findings reveal that changes in RNA regulation enable bacteria to enter a state of antibiotic tolerance.
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NewsResearchers find CRISPR-Cas coordinates layered bacterial defense network
A new study reveals that CRISPR-Cas plays a broader role in bacterial immunity. Rather than acting alone like a solitary sniper shooting at phages, it also serves as a central command center, directing a network of diverse innate immune systems.
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NewsCall for expertise: Help shape the future of biotechnology regulation in Europe
Microbiologists have a rare opportunity to help shape future European biotechnology regulation. Applied Microbiology International (AMI) is calling on members to contribute as the European Commission seeks expert input on a proposed new Biotech Act.
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NewsEven invertebrates can specifically distinguish between bacteria
Researchers have found that the immune system of a sea anemone is capable of selectively distinguishing between different microorganisms and thus protecting beneficial over harmful bacteria – an ability that has only been attributed to vertebrates to date.
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NewsUnique symbiosis bestows magnetic sense to single-celled organism
An international team has discovered a previously unknown magnetotactic ciliate that pursues an unusual strategy: partnership with two other organisms inside its cell.
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NewsScientists gather lessons from the wild
The wild plants tucked into yards, sidewalk cracks, ditches and fields offer a treasure trove of biological data. Studying wild plants allows for insights into possible adaptations to disease that no human-designed systems could provide.
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NewsScientists find hidden individuality in viral infections
An international team of researchers developed a new way to uncover hidden differences in how viruses infect and destroy individual microbial cells—solving a biological puzzle that has persisted for more than 80 years.