A New Perspective on Life: Bacteria in Droplets Show Complex Behavior
Inside something as basic as a droplet, life displays incredible complexity. Scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Princeton University have found that bacteria within tiny water droplets organize into intricate patterns, influenced by oxygen levels. This discovery might offer new ways to combat infections.
Microbial Movements and Oxygen Levels
Led by Caltech chemical engineer Sujit Datta and published in PNAS, the research reveals how bacteria behave in droplets suspended in a mucus-like fluid. “Imagine bacteria swimming uniformly in a droplet,” said Datta. As oxygen depletes, central bacteria become dormant, while those at the edges remain active, creating a dense core and an active outer ring.
These active bacteria generate currents that mix the core, potentially awakening dormant bacteria when oxygen increases near the droplet’s surface, forming a dynamic microenvironment visible through high-resolution microscopy.
From Microbial Physics to Treating Infections
The team used computational models to predict and control bacterial patterns by adjusting oxygen levels and droplet size, offering insights into microbial adaptability in confined spaces like lung mucus or soil droplets. Datta noted, “Active cells move toward higher oxygen regions near the droplet’s edge, altering oxygen flow and sometimes reactivating dormant cells.”
Impact on Antibiotic Treatments
This discovery not only fascinates but could enhance antibiotic targeting of infections. In human lungs, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria coexist; the latter often resist treatment due to low metabolic activity. Datta questioned whether quantitative guidelines could boost antimicrobial efficacy, suggesting the research has only begun to uncover potential applications.
Authored by Babak Vajdi Hokmabad and team, the study underscores how blending biology, chemistry, and physics reveals microbial life’s hidden choreography.
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