Fighting fire with fire: 'Vampire' bacteria has potential as living antibiotic
Date: 2.11.2011
A vampire-like bacteria that leeches onto specific other bacteria - including certain human pathogens - has the potential to serve as a living antibiotic for a range of infectious diseases, a new study indicates.
The bacterium "makes its living" by seeking out prey - certain other bacteria - and then attaching itself to its victim's cell wall and essentially sucking out nutrients. Unlike most other bacteria, which draw nutrients from their surroundings, M. aeruginosavorus can survive and propagate only by drawing its nutrition from specific prey bacteria. This kills the prey - making it a potentially powerful agent for destroying pathogens.
