Explore the bacterial world with vivid stories and players

Creating the colours of the rainbow: Bacteria and the vibrant world of pigments

Our world as well as the bacterial world are full of vibrant colours. These colours exist thanks to biopigments; molecules able to capture light and reflect the corresponding colour. Many organisms, as well as bacteria, learned to use biopigments to harvest energy from sunlight, fight foes and adapt to new and challenging environments. Read on to learn what makes the bacterial world so colourful and why biopigments are the Earth’s life savers.

Learning with Agrobacterium tumefaciens: Understanding plants better

The bacterial world is teeming with superheroes that hold the key to unravelling nature's mysteries. Some bacteria have build remarkable partnerships with plants which not only help us better understand plants but also revolutionize agriculture and biotechnology. Here, we delve into the fascinating relationship between the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens and plants and see how it allowed us to uncover the green world of plants.

Even at the dark and cold bottom of the sea, microbes flourish

Microbes are everywhere. And some have superpowers that allow them to grow in extremely challenging and harsh environments. Especially at the dark and cold bottom of the sea, extremophiles flourish since they interact with other microbes and eat pollutants and contaminants. Interestingly, their microbial activities can also impact our global climate.

How bacteria in your gut microbiome defend pathogens

Bacteria in your gut microbiome help you digest your food, strengthen your immune system and keep you healthy. For this, your gut bacteria keep you free from gut pathogenic bacteria by fighting them with different weapons. Here, we explore some ways gut bacteria defend pathogens and how you can help them protect you.

Learn about microbes, bacteria and their superpowers

Creating the colours of the rainbow: Bacteria and the vibrant world of pigments

Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses their bacterial pili to attach to human gut cells.

About twitching bacteria and their pili

transciption in bacteria

Bacteria destroy proteins to understand the environment

Haem binds at the outside of a bacterium and is transported inside by a barrel like transporter

Thanks to iron, bacteria know where they are

Bacteria are used in life science research.

How Bacterial Research Is Advancing Modern Science

Bacteria can degrade plastics and help us with the plastic pollution in the environment

Plastic Degrading Microbes For a Cleaner Future

Bacteria to produce alternative and green energy sources

Bacteria produce green bio-plastics

How bacteria gain energy from cellular respiration to fuel life

Why bacteria divide into two and grow with the help of a strong ring

Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis: A strategy for bacterial hibernation

Comic of the different shapes of bacteria

Looking fabulous: Why bacteria need to stay in shape too

Bacterial killer weapons as biocontrol to protect plants

Bacteria use the type 6 secretion system (T6SS) to kill other bacteria with a crossbow and arrow.

A bacterial nanoweapon called the type 6 secretion system

Bacteria use the type 6 secretion system (T6SS) to kill other bacteria with a crossbow and arrow.

Bacteria fire powerful and lethal arrows to kill their competitors

How bacteria in your gut microbiome defend pathogens

Bacteria cause caries by producing an acidic environment.

How bacteria cause caries on your teeth

Microbial profile of the skin microbiome of a hand.

Bacteria on your hands strengthen your unique skin microbiome

How bacteria in your gut microbiome defend pathogens

What’s in your yogurt?

Learning with Agrobacterium tumefaciens: Understanding plants better

Even at the dark and cold bottom of the sea, microbes flourish

Magnetotactic bacteria align with the Earth's magnetic field lines

How bacteria read and follow the Earth’s magnetic field

Human red blood cells have two different antigens on their surface

Bacteria changing blood types

Even at the dark and cold bottom of the sea, microbes flourish

A virus solely consists of a protein -lipid envelope and a genome. A bacterium is a physiologically active cell

About the differences between bacteria and viruses

20 (giant) microbes everyone should have heard about

20 interesting microbes everyone should have heard about

How bacteria fight off viruses

Pathogens like Salmonella have many different ways to survive the stresses encountered in our bodies.

How does Salmonella deal with stress – a bacterial journey through the human body

Bacteria use capsules as micro-invisibility cloaks

Invasive bacteria use attachment tools like pili and adhesins to adhere to cells

How bacteria get (too) attached

Bacteria wrap themselves in their swimming flagella

type 3 secretion system

Tiny Biological Needles: How Some Bacteria Are Able to Infect Their Targets

Microbial bioremediation: microbes cleaning-up our toxic messes

Microbes make many holiday foods.

Microbially Powered Meals: How microbes help make our foods

Invasive bacteria use attachment tools like pili and adhesins to adhere to cells

How bacteria get (too) attached

Microbes make many holiday foods.

Microbially Powered Meals: How microbes help make our foods

Magnetotactic bacteria align with the Earth's magnetic field lines

How bacteria read and follow the Earth’s magnetic field

Microbial bioremediation: microbes cleaning-up our toxic messes

Wolbachia bacteria in mosquitos protect us from nasty viruses

Microbes make many holiday foods.

Microbially Powered Meals: How microbes help make our foods

You are what you eat: Gut bacteria share plant leftovers

Microbes as biofertilizers

Bacteria are used in life science research.

How Bacterial Research Is Advancing Modern Science

What’s in your yogurt?

Bacteria in your gut digest your food and have a gut party.

How a healthy gut microbiome protects you and how to keep its superpower

How bacteria in your gut microbiome defend pathogens

Bacteria cause caries by producing an acidic environment.

How bacteria cause caries on your teeth

Creating the colours of the rainbow: Bacteria and the vibrant world of pigments

Learning with Agrobacterium tumefaciens: Understanding plants better

Bacteria have many superpowers

The incredible superpowers of bacteria: unveiling nature’s tiny heroes

Bacterial killer weapons as biocontrol to protect plants

Vibrio bacteria use their T6SS killing machine for movement or DNA uptake.

Should I kill or should I go? Bacteria making decisions

Bacteria produce colourful antibiotics to protect frogs

Bacteria have many superpowers

The incredible superpowers of bacteria: unveiling nature’s tiny heroes

20 (giant) microbes everyone should have heard about

20 interesting microbes everyone should have heard about

6 books about bacteria every microbe lover should read

Bacteria use capsules as micro-invisibility cloaks

Bacteria have many superpowers

The incredible superpowers of bacteria: unveiling nature’s tiny heroes

Invasive bacteria use attachment tools like pili and adhesins to adhere to cells

How bacteria get (too) attached

Why we love talking about bacteria

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  • Does a vinegar wash prevent mold on your strawberries?
    The activity below was contributed by Dr. Kelsey Wood during our podcast interview. Ever reached for a juicy strawberry only to discover a fuzzy, squishy surprise? Mold is a natural part of our world, and it plays a vital role in breaking down organic matter like fruits and vegetables. But when it shows up on […]
  • Downy Mildew Grocery Store Hunt
    The activity below was contributed by Dr. Kelsey Wood during our podcast interview. Ever wonder why your lettuce looks wilted or discolored? It might be the work of a sneaky thief called downy mildew! This microbe weakens lettuce plants without directly killing them. In the following microbiology activity, you and your kids (or students) will […]
  • Downy Mildew: A Plant Pathogen Targeting Your Lettuce
    The article below is based on a podcast interview with Dr. Kelsey Wood. Have you ever noticed yellowish patches or fuzzy white growths on your lettuce? These could be signs of downy mildew, a plant disease that weakens lettuce and other leafy greens, making them vulnerable to other problems. Downy mildew is a plant pathogen […]
  • Plant Pathogen Lettuce Downy Mildew: Dr. Kelsey Wood
    Have you ever noticed little white fluffy spots or yellowish patches on your lettuce at the grocery store? This could be downy mildew, a microbe that infects lettuce and other leafy greens. This microbe might not be well-known, but it’s of great importance due to its effects on the agriculture industry and the food we […]

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