Art and Science of Laboratory Medicine

Art and Science of Laboratory Medicine

Friday, January 2, 2015

Killing for DNA: A predatory device in the cholera bacterium

Vibrio cholerae uses a predatory killing device to compete with surrounding bacteria and steal their DNA. This molecular killing device a spring-loaded spear that is constantly shooting out. This weapon is called the "type VI secretion system" (T6SS) and is known to exist in many types of bacteria. When V. cholerae comes close to other bacteria, the spear punches a hole into them, leaving them to die and release their genetic material, which the predator pulls into itself.

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Killing for DNA: A predatory device in the cholera bacterium

Source: EurekAlere Science News
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