Bacteria can also 'sniff'

Scientists have declared: bacteria have a nose and are able to smell. This is considered a surprising discovery about evolution. This finding suggests that the sense of taste has evolved earlier than human judgment so far.

Foot odor, odor, pungent smell of cheese which is considered the most 'typical' types of smell in the world created by bacteria. Scientists have discovered that single-celled organisms have 'their noses' and therefore are able to smell.

Studies of two soil bacteria have shown that both are capable of detecting the smell of ammonia in the air.

Biofilm image of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.Photo: NatGeo

Ammonia is considered to be the simplest source of nitrogen but is extremely necessary for bacteria to grow, said Reindert Nijland, Newcastle University, UK.'If they can sense ammonia smell and somehow move to this supply, then it really benefits them.'

In fact, in the laboratory, when bacteria are exposed to ammonia, the individual cells of each type of bacteria combine to form a bacterial mucous membrane (also called membrane). biological).

The formation of the biofilm gradually slows down as the opposing bacteria have a longer distance. It is the reaction of trying to expand the territory and win with the other competitors in the battle to penetrate the ammonia.

This finding means that bacteria have used at least four of the five senses. In addition to smelling, the bacteria also react to light (vision - vision), have a physical relationship with other individuals (contact - touch) and directly related to chemicals (taste - taste). sensory.

Nijland and his colleagues have yet to find the bacteria. But he thinks the bacterial nose may be a protein-sensitive element in cells that will somehow bind to airborne chemicals.

Yeast can also smell.Photo: Internet

Finding a way to 'sniff' the smell of bacteria will help scientists in biofilm control. Nijland researcher said toxic biofilms are a major danger to human health.

Biofilms will 'encourage' , 'encourage' the infection to develop rapidly and become more 'stubborn' . Because biofilms will protect bacteria from antibiotics and even attacks from the human immune system. 'Every day, at the hospital, we have to encounter bacteria on all artificial transplants. And that's a big problem. '

In the sense of evolution, this discovery also means that bacteria can be a testament to how other organisms' creatures smell the first. For a long time, smelling is considered only in complex organisms. However, in the past few years, studies have shown that yeast can also smell.

And now, we can see that bacteria also have similar capabilities. Therefore, this finding contributes to affirming smelling and sniffing ability that may have appeared earlier in evolution.