Microbes coordinate activity to reduce competition, Israeli researchers discover
Israeli researchers led by Dr. Sarah Moraïs have discovered that microbes coordinate their activities to reduce competition, responding not only to environmental conditions but also to the presence and identity of neighboring microbes. The study reveals a previously unknown level of microbial communication and behavioral adaptation in shared environments. Using fluorescence microscopy, the team observed Bacillus subtilis spores to track microbial responses at the cellular level.
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Microbes coordinate activity to reduce competition, Israeli researchers discoverThe findings, discovered by a team led by Dr. Sarah Moraïs, indicate that microbes respond not only to environmental conditions, but also to the presence and identity of neighboring microbes. Fluorescence microscopy images of Bacillus subtilis spores harboring GFP or Scarlet fusion to a DNA packaging protein (SspA)(photo credit: Bing Zhou)
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.