Bacteria grow older?

For a long time, biologists have always said that the bacterial population is always young and not old. In other words, the bacteria are not aging and do not have age, at least not in the way of other organs in the body. However, new research can make this model wobble.

When a bacterial cell bisects into two daughter cells, then these two cells continue to divide into four new cells, into 8, into 16 . Science suggests that cells are always identical to cells. origin.

However, a recent study conducted by the University of California (USA) has caused the above pattern to wobble. In the paper published in the November 8 issue of Contemporary Biology, scientists conclude that bacteria not only age but the aging ability of bacteria also allows them to improve and evolve. my 'body' .

'Other aging organs are caused by long-term non-gene accumulations (such as protein oxidation over time). When the cells of the aging organism divide, these lesions will be divided equally among the two new cells. Meanwhile, with bacteria, they will choose the solution to transfer all the damage to one cell, while the other is still "clean" and healthy , "said Professor Lin Chao, the head of the research team. likes on Science Daily.

Scientists call this phenomenon 'an old age, a springtime' and thanks to that sorting process, bacteria have continuously evolved.

Before going to this unique discovery, Professor Chao underwent two unsuccessful studies on whether or not aging in bacteria. While his 2005 study confirms, there is evidence that the bacteria get older, the 2010 study confirms: they are not aging.

'In fact, our previous two studies only looked at one side of the coin. In the world of bacteria, aging and springtime take place simultaneously. Therefore, if your approach is not correct, you will be fooled '.

"A basket of eggs"

To demonstrate his judgment, Professor Chao pointed out the case of E. coli cholera. Through hundreds of generations of division, he found that the new cells of this sausage-shaped bacterium are of varying lengths.'This can only be interpreted as a branch of the daughter cell that has been transmitted in its entirety, or almost all of the damage from the mother cell, while the other branch does not suffer, or only receives very little.'

Professor Chao's group conducted a series of tests on computer separation models and concluded that this 'discrimination' solution was always superior from an evolutionary perspective. 'It's like an investor diversifying his stock portfolio. You can choose between depositing an entire $ 1 million for an 8% interest investment, or dividing the money into a $ 500,000 deposit into a 6% 'basket' and $ 500,000 into a 10% basket '.

After 1 year, this division has not made much difference. But after 2 years, the following option will help you earn a higher profit thanks to the account's 10% gross margin.'It turns out bacteria do the same thing. They allow a baby cell to have a completely new start. '

Although the E.coli bacteria divide exactly at the midpoint of the body into two new cells, it is their asymmetric distribution that causes the two adult cells to become long and short. different.