Bacteriophages (phages) are often described as obligate predators of their bacterial hosts,
and phage predation is one of the leading forces controlling the density and distribution of …

Cooperation exists across all scales of biological organization, from genetic elements to
complex human societies. Bacteria cooperate by secreting molecules that benefit all …

Streptomyces bacteria are known for their prolific production of secondary metabolites, many
of which have been widely used in human medicine, agriculture and animal health. To guide …

That holobionts (microbial communities and their animal or plant hosts) are units of selection
squares poorly with the observation that microbes are often recruited (horizontally acquired) …

Holobionts, consisting of a host and diverse microbial symbionts, function as distinct
biological entities anatomically, metabolically, immunologically, and developmentally …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is one of the most important processes in prokaryote
evolution. The sharing of DNA can spread neutral or beneficial genes, as well as genetic …

Many practicing biologists accept that nothing in their discipline makes sense except in the
light of evolution, and that natural selection is evolution's principal sense-maker. But what …

Analyses of multiple whole-genome sequences from the same species have revealed that
differences in gene content can be substantial, particularly in prokaryotes. Such variation …

Recently postulated mechanisms and models can help explain the enduring 'Gaia'puzzle of
environmental regulation mediated by life. Natural selection can produce nutrient recycling …

Microbes release a wide variety of metabolites to the environment that benefit the whole
population, called public goods. Public goods sharing drives adaptive function loss, and …