Bacteria that talk to each other
Bonnie Bassler, who teaches molecular biology at Princeton, explains that bacteria don't just grow and divide, grow and divide. They speak to each other and with other species of bacteria through their chemicals. Bassler studies how bacteria use chemical signals to act as coordinated social units. In this delightful TED talk, Bassler discusses how her research group has studied the manner in which bacteria talk to each other. They make chemical "words" to enable group activities (such as triggering the timing for effective virulence attacks), sensing each other through their "quorum-sensing molecules." They can also sense the difference between themselves and other bacteria. Note that each of us is 99% bacterial. Our human body consists of about one trillion of "our own" cells, but ten trillion bacteria. We have about 30,000 of "our own" genes, but we carry about 100 times more bacterial DNA than human DNA. Bacteria live as "mutualists" with us. They help us digest our food, make our vitamins, protects us from other pathogens and help us survive in numerous other ways. Rather than using antibiotics to kill bacteria (which inevitably selects for more virulent strains), Bassler suggests that a better understanding of the communications schemes used by bacteria is allowing scientists to develop potent new medicines. This is an upbeat and informative talk regarding a most ancient form of life.