Scientists Spot Bacteria Using Viruses As Weapons To Kill Other Bacteria

[Judi Lynn]

26 April 2019, 11:10 pm EDT By Diane Samson Tech Times

An international research team discovered that bacteria cells use a virus and a prehistoric viral protein to attack other bacteria.

Bacteria Against Bacteria
The team made the discovery after noticing a gap between two bacteria that were moving toward each other on an agar plate. They investigated and found that the gap was caused by a virus, SW1, killing bacteria cells. They also reported that only one of the strains of bacteria carried the SW1 virus.

"It was kind of like when Alexander Fleming noticing bacteria did not grow near a fungus when he discovered penicillin in the 1920s," said Wood who led the study.

The researchers explained that a virus enters a cell and hides in the chromosome until it is ready to attack and kill. However, a mutation sometimes occurs and the virus gets stuck.

More:
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/242376/20190426/scientists-spot-bacteria-using-viruses-as-weapons-to-kill-other-bacteria.htm

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Wow.

I wonder how much of this has had an impact on natural selection, since it has been going on for a lot longer than the now.