Spore forming bacteria are among the most pathogenic and resilient organisms on earth. Responsible for diseases such as anthrax and botulism, these bacteria are also the cause of recurring infections in hospitals that are proving, in an era of antimicrobial resistance, almost impossible to eradicate.
Sporulating bacteria using fluorescence microscopy, showing the two cells required to generate the spore, in different colours. The smaller cell will become the spore. Image credit: C.Rodrigues
Bacterial spores are inert making them also resistant to antibiotic attack and common sterilisation methods.
It’s perhaps no surprise then that microbiologists like Dr Chris Rodrigues, from the UTS ithree institute, are focusing their research on the molecular machinery responsible for bacterial spore development.
Read the full story in Science news.