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Science & Tech.
Pradeep Kumar

15/07/21 09:20 AM IST

Behaviour of Intestinal Bacteria

In news

The mystery of how does the bacterial resident of the human intestine, the E-coli move towards or away from chemicals---a phenomenon called chemotaxis, has intrigued scientists for a long time.

Finding
  • E.coli bacteria show chemotaxis in response to different chemicals present in human gastrointestinal tract. 
  • Scientists have now found the condition that is most suitable for getting the best chemotactic performance.
  • The new finding will help track behavior of E-Coli bacteria in response to chemical signals. The response of E-Coli to chemicals in the intestine bacteria plays a crucial role in the functioning of the human intestine. 
  • Many organisms in nature respond to the chemical signal received from their environment by showing bodily motion or as chemotaxis.
Functioning of the signal in cell
  • A sperm cell finds the ovum using chemotaxis. White blood cells that are needed for healing injuries find the site of injury or inflammation by chemotaxis.
  • Butterflies also track flowers, and male insects reach their targets by using chemotaxis.  Understanding chemotaxis involves how it is affected by various conditions present inside the cell or in the environment. 
  • E.coli uses its run-and-tumble motion to migrate towards the region with more nutrients.
  • The nutrient molecules bind to the chemo-receptors present on the cell membrane, and this input signal is processed by the sensing module of the signaling network, finally modulating the run-and-tumble motion of the cell.
  • The adaptation module of the signaling network ensures that the intracellular variables do not deviate too far from their average values. 
Source: PIB

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