Comments on: Bacteria and contact-dependent growth inhibition: Death on a stick

By: The bacterial armoury – Sarah's little world

The bacterial armoury – Sarah's little world — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 20:13:27 +0000

[…] about how bacteria fight each other using one of their many killing devices (for example here or here). I also described a few strategies of how bacteria deliver toxins into competing bacteria (like […]

By: The gut microbiome protecting its host – Sarah's little world

The gut microbiome protecting its host – Sarah's little world — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:52:20 +0000

[…] Another strategy is that our resident bacteria actively try to kill these invaders. They can do this by producing toxic compounds that are lethal to the pathogen – I explained this strategy in more depth here. Or, as you might be aware of by now, bacteria in our gut also carry some highly toxic and lethal weapons that are directly aimed to kill other bacteria. What these weapons are, I explain here and here. […]

By: Bommel

Bommel — Thu, 16 May 2019 21:36:08 +0000

In reply to Arwen Nugterenen. Hey, thanks for response. That's a great question and I'm not too sure that has been found out yet. But I guess it is rather an instinct as in there is another bacterium, let's kill it...

By: Arwen Nugterenen

Arwen Nugterenen — Thu, 16 May 2019 21:29:37 +0000

Awesome post! Great and clear explanation … but I have one question. Do the bacteria have a “choice” (ie. need specific conditions/proteins to be present) about whether they use their stick of death or is it an automatic, instinct-type response to being in contact with another bacterium?