The movement or acquisition of genetic material between organisms that is not the result of vertical inheritance (reproduction) is called horizontal (or lateral) gene transfer. Horizontal gene ...

The leaf beetle Spilopyra sumptuosa lives in the rainforests of eastern Australia. Its spectacular, colorful appearance is an example of the rich diversity of the large family of leaf beetles. The ...

Like most bacteria, Vibrio cholerae lives under constant attack from viruses. To survive, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems. Previous work showed that V. cholerae carries a large ...

A new study finds that bacteria can actively block the transfer of beneficial genes to neighboring cells, using specialized ...

Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how bacteria share genes—including those that spread antibiotic resistance.

The fungus that causes coffee wilt disease repeatedly took up segments of DNA from a related fungal pathogen, which contributed to successive outbreaks of the disease, according to a new report. The ...

Researchers have discovered that some bacteria use a protein called YokF to actively block plasmid DNA transfer through nanotubes, preventing neighboring cells from acquiring potentially beneficial ...

Ars Technica has been separating the signal from the noise for over 25 years. With our unique combination of technical savvy and wide-ranging interest in the technological arts and sciences, Ars is ...