Despite the old and mutually dependent relationships that many insects have with their symbionts, there is still plenty of room for conflict. If that sounds strange, think about the millions of people diagnosed with cancer every year. Cancer is a disease of cellular rebellion, where a cell strikes out against the regulations of its own body. It grows and divides uncontrollably, producing tumours that can jeopardise the life of its host. If human cells can do this when they are actually part of the same animal, it is easy to imagine that a bacterium like Blochmannia, which is still a separate
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