The invisible past, bacteria that keep stories

Hey, curious science lovers! I bring you the latest gossip from the bacterial world: bacteria are storing memories like microscopic archivists! Imagine you are a bacterium, with no brain, no neurons, but with a knack for storing information; scientists at the University of Texas at Austin embarked on a mission to discover the trick behind this mysterious talent. It turns out that bacteria, in this case the famous E. coli, are using a common element: iron! Yes, that metal you find in your blood and in your grandmother’s pot.

So, these bacteria are like iron addicts, the ones that float and are more free-floating have low iron levels, while the ones that clump together in biofilms, like a sticky party, have iron through the roof. What about those that are antibiotic tolerant? Well, they maintain an iron zen balance; the point is that these bacteria store their iron memories for at least four generations. It’s like your grandmother telling you stories about the family, but in a bacterial version.

What is the iron phenomenon? When iron is scarce, bacteria activate their memories and embark on a migratory feast in search of iron. In contrast, when there is a lot of iron, memory indicates that it is a great place to stay and form a biofilm, Souvik Bhattacharyya, the team leader, enlightens us, “Iron levels are definitely a therapeutic target because iron is an important factor in virulence.” In short, the more we know about the behavior of these bacteria, the easier it will be to defeat them. So, the next time you see a movie about bacteria, think of them as little iron archivists, ready for the next microscopic adventure! See you in the next installment of science tidbits! Stay curious!