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 c ould 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 t hat manipulate bacterial mot