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A new study published in Nature today has identified a potential Achilles heel in the protective layers surrounding Gram-negative bacteria that could aid in the development of next-generation ...

Bacterial species, and even specific strains can be differentiated using a number of molecular techniques such as PCR, quantitative PCR, genome sequencing and mass spectrometry. But even without ...

Scientists are uncovering the surprising ways bacteria and archaea differ — and how these differences could be turned into weapons against dangerous infections. From bacteria’s peptidoglycan walls to ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American Quick, can you describe your grandparents?

Gram staining remains one of microbiology’s most essential techniques, offering rapid differentiation between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. By exploiting differences in cell wall structure ...

Gram-positive bacteria show blue or purple after Gram-staining in a laboratory test. They have thick cell walls. Gram-negative bacteria show pink or red on staining and have thin walls. They release ...