How Bacteria Communicate

[YouTube - Link]

Bonnie Bassler, professor of molecular biology at Princeton, explains how bacteria communicate with one another in this TED talk.

She begins with bioluminescence, and why it only occurs after bacteria have multiplied to a critical mass/concentration. She then extends the concept to virulence in human infections (the bacteria actually control their pathogenicity).

A related concept is that multicellular creatures (humans, etc) evolved [or were created, depending on your cosmic view] using an extension of the same principle of quorum sensing that bacteria use to distinguish "self" from "other."

She closes by explaining how the principles elucidated in this talk might be used to overcome antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

- via videosift

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Minnesotastan.

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I wonder - when bacteria will discover wheel ?

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@gtstiggy: That's what I thought too. I think she was talking about a "treatment" not a resolution. Also if you make bacteria grow and divide and become bigger population, race conditions for resources may start. Also depending on bacteria type, the hosted bacteria may produce biochemicals that are poisonous or harmful for the host with timely growing amounts. May be there are other biological things that modified sensing chemicals do on targets she do not talk about here.

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That was extremely interesting. However, I am not sure about the application into antibiotics. It seems more like the idea would suppress the bacteria - making the world dependent on the bacteria inhibitors long term. I can see the short term applications of slowing disease, but I don't feel like there is a viable long term application in her presentation. I do believe it would useful and easier to use the molecules used to talk intra-species as a indicator of that species in the body. but I digress and concede that it was extremely fascinating.

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If you find this interesting you should go check out Bruce Lipton also, he explains how dna/rna/signals works very good:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8506668136396723343
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6568107389365915765