Monday, October 31, 2011
Nice bacteria finish last - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
Nice bacteria finish last - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
Altruism is alive and well in bacterial populations, according to new research in Nature, which found that a few altruistic bacteria help their neighbors withstand the assaults of antibiotics, even at a cost to themselves.Researchers from Boston University found that a minority of resistant bacteria help their susceptible neighbors survive by producing and sharing high amounts of the signaling molecule indole, which guards cells against oxidative stress and helps them flush out the antibiotic. But by doing so, they have fewer resources left for their own growth.
Read more: Nice bacteria finish last - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
H.L. Lee, et al., "Bacterial charity work leads to population-wide resistance," Nature, 467:82-6, 2010.
Altruism is alive and well in bacterial populations, according to new research in Nature, which found that a few altruistic bacteria help their neighbors withstand the assaults of antibiotics, even at a cost to themselves.Researchers from Boston University found that a minority of resistant bacteria help their susceptible neighbors survive by producing and sharing high amounts of the signaling molecule indole, which guards cells against oxidative stress and helps them flush out the antibiotic. But by doing so, they have fewer resources left for their own growth.
Read more: Nice bacteria finish last - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
H.L. Lee, et al., "Bacterial charity work leads to population-wide resistance," Nature, 467:82-6, 2010.
