Vampire bacteria could become the ultimate antibiotic
Meet the nutrient-sucking vampire bacterium (Micavibrio aeruginosavorus, the yellow guy draining the purple one above) that could lead to a new world of antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately it only works at night and not after you’ve eaten garlic.
This vampire bacterium could well prove to be an extremely appealing alternative to common antibiotics, which work by inhibiting bacteria reproduction or breaking down their cell walls. The problem is that certain bacterial strains have developed resistance to these antibiotics, creating new breeds of so-called super bugs. Micavibrio aeruginosavorus is an intriguing alternative because bacteria can’t build up resistance to a predator in the same way they can a traditional antibiotic.
And because this bacterium only hunts a very select number of strains, it wouldn’t pose any threat to the myriad of beneficial bacteria that we rely on in our body. It also can get through difficult environments, like the viscous mucus film created by Pseudomonas aeruginosavorus, and reach its target in cases where traditional antibiotics would be significantly less effective.
(via io9)
