Noteworthy
The environmental Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is unique in its capacity to prey and feed on other bacteria. This predatory behavior involves attaching and entering prey cells to consume and grow on cytoplasmic macromolecules, eventually lysing the host. But how do these bacterial predators recognize and invade their prey?
The serendipitous finding of a Bdellovibrio predator protein deposited in the periphery of the prey periplasm led to the discovery of a family of phage-tail-fiber-like proteins involved in interactions with its prey. These fiber-like proteins contain diverse adhesin domains that allow Bdellovibrio predators to interact with and invade a broad range of bacteria with different cell surfaces. (See the paper for figure explanation.)
("Noteworthy" is the new format for STC's Thursday posts. Please read our Jan 20, 2025 post outlining this and other changes in our blog.)
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