Accessing nutrients as the primary benefit arising from chemotaxis

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2023 Jul 15;75:102358. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102358. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAbout half of the known bacterial species perform chemotaxis that gains them access to sites that are optimal for growth and survival. The motility apparatus and chemotaxis signaling pathway impose a large energetic and metabolic burden on the cell. There is almost no limit to the type of chemoeffectors that are recognized by bacterial chemoreceptors. For example, they include hormones, neurotransmitters, quorum-sensing molecules, and inorganic ions. However, the vast majority of chemoeffectors appear to be of metabolic value. We review here the experimental evidence indicating that accessing nutrients is the main selective force that led to the evolution of chemotaxis.PMID:37459734 | DOI:10.1016/j.mib.2023.102358

Source: Current Opinion in Microbiology - July 17, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Miguel A Matilla Jos é A Gavira Tino Krell Source Type: research