New discovery of how bacteria navigate their environment could change how we treat infection

Originally published by University of Sheffield, on September 2, 2024

 


Swimming bacteria experience larger changes in concentration over time, whereas twitching bacteria experience larger changes in concentration over the lengths of their bodies. Credit: Nature Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01729-3

Scientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered a new sensory capability in bacteria which could transform treatments for bacterial infections.

It was previously thought that bacteria are too small to directly sense differences in chemical concentration. However, contrary to decades of established scientific belief, a new study has shown bacteria can in fact directly sense their chemical environment across the length of their cell bodies with an unprecedented degree of precision.

The research, published on September 2, 2024, in Nature Microbiology, is a key step towards the development of innovative treatments that manipulate bacterial motility to enhance antibiotic efficacy.

The study focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which has been listed as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization due to its ability to cause highly antibiotic resistant infections in humans.

Senior author of the study, Dr. William Durham, Senior Lecturer in Biological Physics at the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy, said, "In principle, cells can figure out whether they are moving towards or away from a nutrient source in two different ways.

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