Scientists have revealed the mechanism of collective memory in populations of microorganisms

Microbiologists from the Swiss Institute for Water Science and Technology and ETH Zurich in the course of experiments with bacteria have revealed the existence of the effect, which can be described as "collective memory" of bacteria. The population of micro-organisms respond to changes in the environment, taking into account previously acquired "experience».

It is known that bacteria have the beginnings of "memory", by which they can compare the intensity of external stimuli and to change or maintain the direction of movement. This phenomenon is called chemotaxis - motor reaction caused by external stimuli. Scientists recently studied in detail the structure, through which there is a "decision" depending on external stimuli.

But the individual memory cells is fleeting. In experiments to test the bacteria Caulobacter crescentus scientists working memory was added to the salt water. Sometimes its content in water gradually increased, sometimes just doing great. Those bacteria, which has been given "salt warning", then survived better. But the memory of the increasing salinity of water in individual cells disappeared in 30 minutes.

During the experiments it was found that a large population of bacteria survive better even after two hours have passed since the "warning". Life cycles of single cells are synchronized due to delays in the division caused by an increase in the salinity of the surrounding environment. The probability of survival of the bacteria depends on at what stage is it at the moment of the life cycle of adding salt in the water.

They also found that the population previously exposed to salt, may suffer as a weaker and stronger than those of populations that have not been "trained" to increase the salinity of the water.

Through the study, scientists hope to better understand the principles of control microorganism populations - particularly as pathogens resist antibiotics, or how to manage the vital activity of the microorganisms used for industrial purposes.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/272308/