Bacteria harness viruses to distinguish friend from foe

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - 13:00 in Biology & Nature

Bacterial cells that normally colonize our guts can distinguish themselves from other bacterial species using what's traditionally considered their enemy -- a virus. Researchers report that some bacteria use viruses that have infected them (i.e., phages) for self-recognition and thereby show greater fitness, repelling competitors that lack this adaptation.

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