In a novel discovery in the world of biology, Japanese researchers find that genes stolen by parasitic plants can continue evolving within their new owners while retaining their original function.

An important new study links pesticides, antibiotics, and nitrogen fertilizers to the extreme global crisis of antibiotic resistance, raising serious concerns about the adverse impacts of conventional...

(Beyond Pesticides, July 28, 2025) As the problem of antimicrobial-resistant infections continues to escalate to pandemic proportions, Beyond Pesticides is again calling on Congress and the federal go...

bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution

Horizontal gene transfer built Earth's decomposers

Genome analysis of various cockroach species reveals thousands of bacterial DNA fragments integrated via horizontal gene transfer, reshaping our understanding of biology thanks to advancements in long

A new study has uncovered how the defense mechanisms of bacteria can be neutralized, facilitating more efficient genetic material transfer.

Fruit flies use a bacterial gene to protect against wasps, which threaten their larvae.The gene produces a toxin that kills wasp eggs.

Heat shock protein 70s (HSP70s) are highly conserved molecular chaperones found across all domains of life, where they play essential roles in cellular stress responses. Whilst HSP70 homologues have been previously identified in closteroviruses that have ssRNA genomes, their broader presence and evolutionary history in viruses remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive search of viral protein databases and identified HSP70 homologues in viruses beyond those with ssRNA genomes, including examples with dsDNA genomes in the class Megaviricete. These viral HSP70s exhibit diverse gene organizations, copy numbers and structural features. Notably, HSP70s of viruses from Megaviricetes showed up to three gene copies per genome and distinct structural motifs, whilst those from closteroviruses displayed higher sequence and structural diversity, suggesting faster evolutionary rates. Structural and phylogenetic analyses revealed two major clusters of viral HSP70s, with dsDNA virus HSP70s closely resembling those of their protist hosts, supporting the hypothesis of horizontal gene transfer. In contrast, ssRNA virus HSP70s formed a distinct, highly divergent group. Our findings suggest multiple independent acquisitions of HSP70 genes by viruses and provide new insights into their evolutionary trajectories and potential functional adaptations.

Bacteriophages and PICIs spread bacterial defenses via lateral transduction, shaping microbial immunity and pathogen evolution.

As a child, I always wanted a microscope. I would have collected slimy waters from the scum ponds and murky puddles near my house. I would have brought them home and exposed them to the light of my…

All living organisms are known to inherit genes, DNA sequences that contain instructions for producing specific proteins and performing biological functions, from their parents. In some cases, however...

A super-pangenome analysis incorporating 123 newly sequenced bryophyte genomes reveals that bryophytes exhibit a larger number of unique and lineage-specific gene families than vascular plants.