Fat bacteria? Skinny bacteria? From our perspective on high, they all seem to be about the same size. In fact, they are. Precisely why has been an open question, according to Rice University chemist ...

How cell size and growth rate are regulated is a fundamental but poorly understood question in cell biology, for both eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. Pioneering studies in model microbial ...

A simple theoretical model seeks to explain why bacteria remain roughly the same size and shape. The work by chemists could offer new insight into diseases, including cancer. Fat bacteria? Skinny ...

Bacteria have an extraordinary ability to maintain and recover their morphology even after being twisted out of shape. Researchers know that shape is determined by the cell wall, yet little is known ...

Bacteria are survivors, and they can find ways to get around stuff we use to kill them, like disinfectants and antibiotics. Scientists and clinicians are constantly trying to stay a step ahead of ...

Bacteria come in all shapes and sizes -- some are straight as a rod, others twist like a corkscrew. Shape plays an important role in how bacteria infiltrate and attack cells in the body. The helical ...

Top: Magnified view of the microfabricated bacteria molds in various shapes. Bottom: Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy images reveal the molded shapes of bacterial Z-rings (montage, ...

The bacteria that cause the life-threatening disease cholera may initiate infection by coordinating a wave of mass shapeshifting that allows them to more effectively penetrate the intestines of their ...