|
|
Article: Swarming predatorial bacteria.(SCOPE'S SCOOPS)
- Article from:
- Science Scope
- Article date:
- January 1, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 National Science Teachers Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Like something from a horror movie, the swarm of bacteria ripples purposefully toward their prey, devours it, and moves on. Researchers at the University of Iowa are studying this behavior in Myxococcus xanthus (M. xanthus), a bacterium commonly found in soil, which preys on other bacteria.
Despite its deadly role in the bacterial world, M. xanthus is harmless to humans and might one day be used beneficially to destroy harmful bacteria on surfaces or in human infections, said John Kirby, associate professor of microbiology in the University of Iowa (UI) Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. "It may be that we can modify this predator-prey relationship ...