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.