Abstract
ABSTRACTPhotosynthetic bacteria are capable of producing their own food via photosynthesis. Unsurprisingly, they evolved the ability to move toward better light conditions (i.e., phototaxis). In a recent article in mBio, Chau et al. tuned the wavelength, flux, direction, and timing of light input and characterized the motility of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 (R. M. W. Chau, D. Bhaya, and K. C. Huang, mBio 8:e02330-16, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02330-16). The results revealed an intricate dependence of the motility on various light inputs, laying the fundamental groundwork toward understanding phototaxis under complex and dynamic light environments.
Highlights
The movement of heterotrophic bacteria under a nutrient gradient is a wellunderstood process
When multiple light sources are presented from different directions, in which direction do the bacteria move? Not all wavelengths of light are beneficial, as some wavelengths can damage DNA and other cellular components
In a recent study published in mBio, Chau et al addressed these fundamental questions about bacterial phototaxis by subjecting unicellular the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 to well-controlled light environments [4]
Summary
The movement of heterotrophic bacteria under a nutrient gradient is a wellunderstood process. Like their heterotrophic counterparts and their responses to chemical signals, phototropic bacteria have evolved the ability to sense light and move toward better light conditions via a process called phototaxis. When multiple light sources are presented from different directions, in which direction do the bacteria move? In a recent study published in mBio, Chau et al addressed these fundamental questions about bacterial phototaxis by subjecting unicellular the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.
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