The Social Life of Small Spaces

摘要

Bacteria have traditionally been considered as swarms of independent cells, but the notion of bacteria as members of populous and integrated communities is becoming more prevalent. For instance, the existence of diffusible signals that contribute to quorum sensing among groups of bacteria to coordinate their responses to the environment is now well established. Remis et al. have looked at how Myxococcus xanthus, a social bacterium present in soil, can communicate via direct contact mechanisms. Artifact-free preservation and electron microscopic 3D mimaging of cell structures revealed the fine structure of individual bacteria and their membrane appendages, as well as cellular 3D biofilm organization. Lipid-based