Interspecies nutrient extraction and toxin delivery between bacteria

Ofer Stempler; Amit K. Baidya; Saurabh Bhattacharya; Ganesh Babu Malli Mohan; Elhanan Tzipilevich; Lior Sinai; Gideon Mamou; Sigal Ben-Yehuda

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00344-7

Nature Communications (Aug 2017)

Interspecies nutrient extraction and toxin delivery between bacteria

Ofer Stempler,
Amit K. Baidya,
Saurabh Bhattacharya,
Ganesh Babu Malli Mohan,
Elhanan Tzipilevich,
Lior Sinai,
Gideon Mamou,
Sigal Ben-Yehuda

Affiliations

Ofer Stempler: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Amit K. Baidya: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Saurabh Bhattacharya: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Ganesh Babu Malli Mohan: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Elhanan Tzipilevich: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Lior Sinai: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Gideon Mamou: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Sigal Ben-Yehuda: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00344-7
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Bacteria can exchange nutrients and macromolecules through tubular membranous structures called nanotubes. Here, the authors show that Bacillus subtilis can kill and prey on Bacillus megaterium by delivering a toxin and extracting nutrients in a nanotube-dependent manner.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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