Abstract
Amid curiosity about microbes in space or on Mars, some experts still wonder how space—more specifically, the three-dimensional (3D) arrangement of one cell to another—affects bacteria on Earth. “That's a big question in microbiology that no one has answered,” says microbiologist Marvin Whiteley. To address that question, he and chemist Jason Shear, both at the University of Texas at Austin, designed 3D microscopic gelatin shells into which they introduced cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to see whether spatial positioning affects how they behave. It does. In particular, small numbers of P. aeruginosa cells protect larger numbers of S. aureus from being killed by ampicillin. Details appear November 12, 2013 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (doi:10.1073/pnas.1309729110).
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
