science

’Zombie’ bacteria BREAKTHROUGH: New strain set to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs


Bacteria are simple single-called organisms with a complex relationship with humans. Sometimes bacteria are benign, such as those aiding our digestion, while others are destructive, causing diseases like pneumonia and MRSA. And a previously unknown bacterial survival strategy has been discovered that is set to explain why infections re-emerge after treatment.

Some bacteria enter zombie-like states to survive extreme conditions.

Although the bacteria are not asleep, in this mode they demonstrate slowed processes while remaining somewhat active.

Researchers were investigating the survival strategies of the non-pathogenic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis.

The bacteria were starved for long periods of time, and their response observed.

Bacteria are already known to “sleep” within a protective coating, the study’s showed a variant that could not do this as the result of a mutation.

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But despite lacking the ability to become dormant, the scientists found some could still survive.

This is due to a third, previously unknown, state the team dubbed oligotrophic growth.

Professor Leendert Hamoen, of the University of Amsterdam, said: “We saw clear differences between the active state, the dormant state and this state.

“Normally, Bacillus is rod-shaped, but the starved bacteria shrank until they were almost spherical.

“All kinds of processes that are normally active in the bacterium were altered.

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“But they didn’t stop completely, as happens when the bacterium retreats to a spore in a dormant state.

“The bacteria even continued to divide.

“Only not once every forty minutes, but once every four days; more than a hundred times slower than usual.”

This zombie-like state translates to mean “nutrient-poor growth,” and has never before been identified.

But, the new findings raise questions about how prevalent it might be.

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Spore-forming allows bacteria to resist extreme environments including cold, UV light, and antibiotics in a dormant state.

Similarly, the so-called zombie mode appears to help them survive even when starved of nutrients.

“The big question is: do bacteria other than Bacillus know this trick too?” Professor Hamoen said.

“If so, this fundamentally changes our outlook on bacteria. Apparently, they do not always have to form spores to survive.

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“Apparently, they do not have to form spores to survive. Forming endospores requires a lot of energy, and the bacteria are not always able to “wake up” from this condition.

“It is much easier for them to switch to and from this oligotrophic growth state. Once conditions improve, they can easily form new colonies.

“Hence this state is much more favourable for them.

“If more bacteria are found to be able to switch to this state, it will throw a whole new light on, among other things, how bacteria can escape antibiotics.”

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