Natures wonders: bacteria self-destruct to save colony: (Introduction)

by David Turell @, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 13:51 (1469 days ago) @ David Turell

They release a toxin to stop the enemy:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2236441-bacteria-sacrifice-themselves-when-under-a...

"Some bacteria kill themselves to save their relatives when their colony is attacked by rivals. This kind of sacrifice is rare in nature because it usually contradicts an individual’s evolutionary drive to survive and reproduce. Researchers studied E. coli bacteria in a dish next to a colony of enemy bacteria. The E. coli on the front line received a direct hit of toxins released by their rivals and were killed straight away. Those behind the front line switched into self-destruct mode, building up supplies of their own toxin, before dying en masse by bursting open and firing the toxin at their enemy, probably to help the rest of the colony survive."

Comment: an automatic protection system.


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