Bacteria resistance to antibiotics is a global health concern as once easily curable infections have become more difficult to treat. Many bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli It can generate resilient forms with additional survival mechanisms. For example, they can form a shield like a mat called Biofilmto keep yourself safe. Or they can move as a group known as Flockfind new resources. Researchers are studying antibiotic-resistant bacteria They have not studied how nutrients affect protective bacterial behavior across generations. Multi-generational memory.
Researchers at the University of Texas recently tested whether iron in the environment contributes to multi-generational memories of bacteria. Iron is an important nutrient for bacteria, just like humans. Metabolism and respiration. However, the amount of iron bacteria varies greatly depending on environmental conditions. If there is too little iron, bacteria cannot flourish. in the case of E. colidifferent iron levels may change their behavior.
The researchers created two groups E. coli. They gave the first group sufficient iron levels to inhibit growth. They gave the other groups 1,000 times more iron, making it extremely abundant. after that, Y removed nutrients from both groups of bacteria and raised the temperature so high that it caused them to stress. To see how their behavior has changed.
They found that bacteria tend to move towards different defensive behaviors depending on the iron level. Bacteria with less iron tended to crowd more frequently, whereas bacteria that formed more iron formed more frequently biofilms. Iron levels also influenced the ability of bacteria to form biofilms. This is because bacteria containing excess iron better protected biofilms, which form biofilms. However, they also found that for tracking exposure to two antibiotics, bacteria given to less iron become harder and better. Kanamycin and Chloramphenicol.
Scientists observed five generations e . E. coliCheck for each group to see if this behavior persists. They discovered that bacteria have tailored their herds and biofilms to their preferences for up to four generations. In other words, I remembered the iron level of my ancestors. But this Iron memoryas researchers called it, disappeared by the fifth generation. Based on these results, the researchers concluded that bacterial colonies can convey information about their environment, but only for a short time.
Researchers also found that bacterial memory itself is associated with iron levels. By observing behavioural and genetic changes in bacteria, they identified two proteins that regulate the amount of bacteria absorbed. Fepa and fur. These were observed that all affected bacteria tend to be herd when iron levels were lower and these proteins worked more vigorously. They interpret this result and show that iron levels leave permanent physical changes in bacteria, affecting the bacterial environment memory, leading to behavioral changes.
The researchers also suggested that their findings could help scientists improve antibiotics. They explained that antibiotics produce harmful chemicals that damage bacterial cells. Reactive oxygen species Or ROS. They found that high iron levels within the environment promote this ROS production. Therefore, bacteria with low iron levels survived the treatment better as antibiotics generate less productive ROS. They suggested that the findings suggest that low iron levels also support bacteria in responding to antibiotics, as they adapt quickly to environmental stresses.
Researchers say learning how bacteria use iron memories can help scientists fight antibiotic resistance through multi-generational adaptations. Bacteria that remember previous antibiotic exposures are much more difficult to kill and are constantly concerned about antibiotic resistance. Researchers concluded that antibiotics could potentially provide benefits in the future by breaking the memory of such bacteria. Still, they acknowledged that further research is needed to determine the limitations of this mechanism and whether it works in other bacteria.
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Source: sciworthy.com
