Bacteria have an extraordinary ability to maintain
and recover their morphology even after being twisted out of shape. Shape plays
an important role in how bacteria infiltrate and attack cells in the body. The
helical shape of Helicobacter pylori, a species of bacteria which can cause
ulcers, may help it penetrate tissues.
Researchers know that shape is determined by the
cell wall, yet little is known about how bacteria monitor and control it. Since
the cell wall is the target of most antibiotics, understanding how bacteria
grow their cell walls may provide insight into more effective medicines. Now, a
team of researchers has found that Escherichia
coli may use mechanical cues to keep their shape.
In the new research, Harvard John A. Paulson School
of Engineering and Applied Sciences researchers explored whether coupling wall
growth to mechanical strain -- how the bacterium was compressed or stretched --
could explain the snapback and predict how fast the bacteria would straighten
when released.
See:
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle