Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Bacteria Communicate with Nanotubes

Bacteria are known to communicate with each other by means of excreting and recieving extracellular signaling devices. These devices allow bacteria to execute tasks such as antibiotic production and producing virulence factors. Professor Sigal Ben-Yehuda and her team of scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered a new form of communication, involving nanotubes that connect both similar and different bacteria. These nanotubes allow bacteria to exchange small proteins, molecules, and even some genetic elements. These nanotubes may allow multiple types of bacteria to acquire antibiotic resistance, and therefore open up a new way to fight pathogenic bacteria.

I think that this discovery by Professor Ben-Yehuda will lead to the development of new types of antibiotics, and help the fight against bacteria. Scientists are already working as fast as they can to outrun bacteria in the race of antibiotics versus resistance, and this discovery may be able to slow down bacteria's rate of resistance. While it might not cure us of harmful bacteria, this discovery will allow us to fight them better.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110302080003.htm

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