Iron is an essential trace element for most organisms. A common way for bacteria to acquire
this nutrient is through the secretion of siderophores, which are secondary metabolites that …

Bacteria have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to harm and kill their competitors,
including chemical, mechanical and biological weapons. Here we review the incredible …

Background Plant diseases caused by fungal pathogen result in a substantial economic
impact on the global food and fruit industry. Application of organic fertilizers supplemented …

Soil microbial communities mix and interact, a widespread phenomenon known as
community coalescence. However, in the context of different coalescence degrees, the …

Bacteria often live within matrix-embedded communities, termed biofilms, which are now
understood to be a major mode of microbial life. The study of biofilms has revealed their vast …

Plasmids play an important role in bacterial genome evolution by transferring genes
between lineages. Fitness costs associated with plasmid carriage are expected to be a …

Designer microbial consortia are an emerging frontier in synthetic biology that enable
versatile microbiome engineering. However, the utilization of such consortia is hindered by …

Multicellularity is characterized by cooperation among cells for the development,
maintenance and reproduction of the multicellular organism. Cancer can be viewed as …

Laboratory experiments have uncovered many basic aspects of bacterial physiology and
behavior. After the past century of mostly in vitro experiments, we now have detailed …

Probiotics, live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a
health benefit on the host, offer an alternative to antibiotics and have become popular …