Bacteria do not have mouths. And yet, they talk.
Bacteria communicate using chemical molecules. Imagine it as a bacterial group chat: the ‘messages’ are the molecules floating through the environment. Different bacterial families use different molecules, a bit like different languages. One bacterium releases a signal. Another bacterium receives, or senses it.
When several bacteria are sensing the same molecule, the group ‘knows’ that many cells of its own kind are present. They ‘sense’ the quorum, so once the signal reaches a certain level, bacteria can coordinate their behaviours. They regulate when and how to form biofilms, release toxins, adapt to environmental changes, use nutrients, or defend themselves against antibiotics or the host immune system. Gut microbes, plant pathogens and human pathogens also use quorum sensing to know they are not alone and to change their behaviour accordingly:
Coordination: bacteria can synchronise their activities, such as releasing toxins or forming biofilms.
Adaptation: they can adjust to environmental changes more effectively as a group.
Resource management: communication helps bacteria use nutrients more efficiently.
Defence: some bacteria use communication to protect themselves against antibiotics or the host’s immune system.
A single bacterium behaves one way when it is alone. A crowd of bacteria that senses each other has completely different superpowers. So, do not just imagine bacteria as silent cells drifting alone. Picture a chemical conversation: one bacterium speaks, another listens and together they decide what to do next.
Microbes are everywhere. And some have superpowers that allow them to grow in extremely challenging and harsh environments. Especially at the dark and cold bottom of the sea, extremophiles flourish since they interact with other microbes and eat pollutants and contaminants. Interestingly, their microbial activities can also impact our global climate.
Bacteria learned to live on all sorts of surfaces and in different environments. This also includes plants. Unfortunately, some bacteria can also make plants sick. These have special mechanisms with which they speak the language of plants with the goal to enter them.
Bacteria also don’t like being lonely and need to know they are not alone. And often they need to talk to other bacteria and interact with them. To do so, they use a mechanism called quorum sensing. Read on to find out more about this fascinating mechanism.
When thinking of bacteria, you might have the picture of a single cell in your mind. But interestingly, some bacteria come as multicellular organisms with advanced functions. Here, we will learn what multicellular bacteria are and why bacteria form multicellular organisms. We will then look at some colourful examples of multicellular bacteria.
Bacteria can form outer membrane vesicles and fill them with antibiotics. They then send these toxic bubbles off to kill competing bacteria.
Bacteria have powerful killing machines with which they carve out their own niches. To kill competitors, bacteria from the Vibrio family, have a powerful crossbow and its arrows availble. However, these bacteria can decide whether they risk a kill and take up what’s left of the dead prey or they escape the dangerous situation. Here, we look at how bacteria decide to kill or flee.
Cable bacteria are long chains of bacteria that transport electrons within this chain. In this fascinating bacterial cable, these bacteria then conduct electricity.
When bacteria are under attack, they are telling their siblings about the incoming danger. This allows them to produce weapons – like the molecule bacteriocin – to prepare themselves for a counterattack. With this altruistic behaviour, bacteria assemble and fight back as a team.
Bacteria can be major problems for human health. One of the reasons for that is because they have the ability to hide in their own houses. Such a house is called a bacterial biofilm which protect bacteria from harsh environments, toxic chemicals and to form a community within the biofilm.
Bacteria use a stick weapon to kill other bacteria that do not belong to their family. This stick is the so-called contact-dependent growth inhibition weapon – a very complex killing device. Read on to learn about this weapon.
When bacteria are hungry, they sometimes also need the help of their friends. In that case, bacteria can build little tubes between them to exchange nutrients. With this bacterial nanotube, they can exchange nutrients and thus feed each other to make sure everyone survives.