“Finish the entire course of antibiotics you were prescribed, even if you feel better.” You may have been told this by your doctor or have this saying deeply ingrained in your mind from infections past. You may also have been told that if you don’t finish your full course of antibiotics, your infection could come…
By Ananya Sen A straight walk from India to the Arctic is approximately 4,000 miles. The trip includes the hot and humid climate of India, the temperate and dry climate of central Europe, and finally the rugged and frozen tundra of Svalbard in the Arctic Circle. Imagine embarking on this adventure as a gene. Seem…
For bacteria, addiction to DNA can be a life or death situation. Lose that DNA and the bacterium suffers an unfortunate toxic death. Many bacteria easily transfer DNA amongst themselves in the forms of plasmid DNA. Plasmids are mobile genetic elements that replicate independently of the chromosome. These small circular pieces of DNA often contain…
When it comes to predators, we naturally think of large, agile, and powerful animals on the prowl. But we often don’t think about the most abundant predators on our planet, predators of the microscopic world. In the depths of the microbial universe, predatory bacteria (those that feast upon other bacteria) have emerged. These bacteria are…
Today marks the end of 2016’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week, aimed to increase awareness of antibiotic resistance and to advocate for the prudent use of these drugs. One of the key drivers of antibiotic resistance is how rapidly bacteria acquire DNA from the environment or from other bacteria. Resistance elements are often carried on mobile…