Natures wonders: newly found bacterial weapon: (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, January 05, 2024, 19:14 (113 days ago) @ David Turell

A use of fibers:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104121930.htm
"...researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham have discovered how natural antimicrobial predatory bacteria, called Bdellovibrio bacterivorous, produce fibre-like proteins on their surface to ensnare prey.

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"The breakthrough came when Sam Greenwood an undergraduate student, and Asmaa Al-Bayati, a PhD student in the Sockett lab, discovered that the Bdellovibrio predators lay down a sturdy vesicle (a "pinched-off" part of the predator cell envelope) when invading their prey.

"Professor Liz Sockett explained: "The vesicle creates a kind of airlock or keyhole allowing Bdellovibrio entry into the prey cell. We were then able to isolate this vesicle from the dead prey, which is a first in this field. The vesicle was analysed to reveal the tools used during the preceding event of predator/prey contact. We thought of it as a bit like a locksmith leaving the pick, or key, as evidence, in the keyhole.

"'By looking at the vesicle contents, we discovered that because Bdellovibrio doesn't know which bacteria it will meet, it deploys a range of similar prey recognition molecules on its surface, creating lots of different 'keys' to 'unlock' lots of different types of prey."

"The researchers then undertook an individual analysis of the molecules, demonstrating that they form long fibres, approximately ten times longer than common globular proteins.

"This allows them to operate at a distance and "feel" for prey in the vicinity.

"In total, the labs counted 21 different fibres. Researchers Dr Simon Caulton, Dr Carey Lambert and Dr Jess Tyson worked on how they operated both at the cellular and molecular level.

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"...we discovered a chemical signature on the outside of prey bacteria that was a tight fit to the fibre tip. This is the first time a feature of Bdellovibrio has been matched to prey selection."

"Scientists in this field will now be able to use these discoveries to ask which fibre set is used by the different predators they study and potentially attribute these to specific prey.

"Improving understanding of these predator bacteria could enable their usage as antibiotics, to kill bacteria that degrade food, or ones which are harmful to the environment.

"Professor Lovering concluded: "We know that these bacteria can be helpful, and by fully understanding how they operate and find their prey, it opens up a world of new discoveries and possibilities'"

Comment: This newly found mechanism adds to the knowledge that some bacteria use a piercing weapon to attack other bacteria. Hopefully it may help us create new antibiotic molecules.