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February 6, 2012

Bacteria help reveal a secret to evolution

Bacteria help reveal a secret to evolution - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience - msnbc.com:

'via Blog this'

The arms race between a virus and the bacteria it attacks has helped scientists better understand one of the mysteries of evolution: How new traits evolve.

In a series of experiments, the bacteria-infecting viruses repeatedly acquired the ability to attack their host bacteria through a different "doorway," or receptor on the bacteria's cellular membrane, explained Justin Meyer, the lead researcher and a graduate student at Michigan State University.

Their results offer insight into a difficult question about evolution: Where do new traits come from?

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