Bacteria found to absorb antibiotics to protect their colony
- 5 years ago
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — A new study has found that bacteria sacrifice themselves to antibiotics in order to preserve their colony.
Researchers at California State University and Princeton exposed a colony of E.Coli to a molecule known as LL37, according to the journal E Life.
The molecule was slightly modified to give off a green glow that would allow researchers to track its movement.
LL37 is a natural antibiotic produced by the skin and some organs in the body to help eliminate foreign bacteria, according to the study.
The scientists found that only a tiny amount of E.Coli bacteria were needed to absorb large amounts of LL37. E.Coli cells that consumed the molecule were reportedly killed.
However, this allowed the rest of the bacteria colony to keep on growing and spreading.
Sattar Taheri-Araghi, a co-senior author of the study said that their findings "have profound implications for the evolution of bacteria."
Researchers at California State University and Princeton exposed a colony of E.Coli to a molecule known as LL37, according to the journal E Life.
The molecule was slightly modified to give off a green glow that would allow researchers to track its movement.
LL37 is a natural antibiotic produced by the skin and some organs in the body to help eliminate foreign bacteria, according to the study.
The scientists found that only a tiny amount of E.Coli bacteria were needed to absorb large amounts of LL37. E.Coli cells that consumed the molecule were reportedly killed.
However, this allowed the rest of the bacteria colony to keep on growing and spreading.
Sattar Taheri-Araghi, a co-senior author of the study said that their findings "have profound implications for the evolution of bacteria."