Thanks to iron, bacteria know where they are
Bacteria can sense the iron concentration of their environment thanks to special iron transporters, of which they produce multiple.
The bacterial membrane is a super important compartment since it connects and protects the inner of the bacterium from the surrounding environment. The bacterial membrane holds different lipids and proteins with various functions. For example, they can be transporters that import or export molecules. Other proteins are sensors to measure certain conditions in the environment telling the cell exactly what is going on outside.
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The BacterialWorld and Bacterial membrane
Bacteria and contact-dependent growth inhibition: Death on a stick
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.
Chemotaxis helps bacteria move towards goodies
Chemotaxis helps bacteria to know that they are surrounded by certain chemicals. They can then move towards them if the chemicals are helpful. But how does chemotaxis work? Find out here.
About antimicrobial resistance mechanisms
Bacteria developed different antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to get rid of antibiotics. Here, you will learn what bacteria do with antibiotics so that they don’t harm them and what superbugs are.
How bacteria sense iron in their environment
Bacteria sense iron in the environment via proteins that are transporters and receptors in one. The transporter imports iron, while the receptor tells the bacterium that iron is present on the outside. This activates a whole circuit so that the bacterium produces more transporters to capture as much iron as possible.
A bacterial nanoweapon called the type 6 secretion system
Bacterial killing is happening everywhere where bacteria fight for space and nutrients. Some bacteria have highly efficient weapons to kill other microbes. These killer bacteria can survive in the rarest and driest environmental niches. Just by killing other bacteria.
What kind of fantastic nanoweapon is that?