Immune cells that eat bacteria in the body don’t stash them in specialized compartments as once thought, but turn them into critical nutrients that build proteins, create energy and keep the ...

Bacterial cells can also alter the parts of their biology targeted by antibiotics, such as proteins or fats; this is equivalent to changing the lock so the key doesn't fit anymore, Blaskovich said.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom have made a big leap forward in developing synthetic cells, known as protocells, by using cellular components from bacteria.