A chemical radar allows bacteria to sense and eliminate predators.
Investigating how microorganisms communicate deepens our understanding of the complex ecological interactions that shape our environment is an area of key focus for the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse.” A research team from the Cluster, based at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) and Friedrich Schiller University Jena, has examined the interactions between amoebae, bacteria, and plants.
Researchers from the University of Bayreuth also contributed to the study. The findings pave the way for discovering new bioactive natural products.
The persistent plant pathogen and a single-celled organism with team spirit
The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae is a ubiquitous and devastating plant pathogen. The pathogen penetrates the plant via natural openings or injuries, infects it, and causes considerable damage in agriculture. Amoebae are natural enemies of the bacterium. The amoeba Polysphondylium pallidum, for instance, is a single-celled organism that feeds on bacteria.
However, if food becomes scarce, the unicellular organisms aggregate to form multicellular structures that allow for the generation and dispersal of spores. While not directly involved in the infection process of the plant, the amoeba is an important predator that forces the bacterium to evolve highly effective defense mechanisms in order to survive in their presence.
An amoeba kills itself
The research team led by Pierre Stallforth, professor at the University of Jena and head of department at the Leibniz-HKI, has now identified a previously unknown defense mechanism of Pseudomonas syringae.
“We were able to show how the bacterium uses a chemical radar to recognize and eliminate the hostile amoebae. Interestingly, the amoebae themselves play a crucial role in their own demise,” says Shuaibing Zhang, first author of the study.
Pierre Stallforth adds: “Pseudomonas syringae produces syringafactins. These are chemical compounds that are harmless to the amoeba, they enable the bacterium to move faster. When the amoeba encounters this molecule, the organism modifies syringafactin’s chemical structure. The bacterium in turn has a special sensor protein – the Chemical Radar Regulator (CraR) – which recognizes these modified molecules. This enables the bacteria to detect the presence of amoebae, whereupon genes responsible for the production of toxic substances – the pyrofactins – are activated. The pyrofactins in turn kill amoebae and, interestingly, are derivatives of the modified syringafactins.”
Defense mechanism provides opportunities for the development of new drugs
The infectivity of the bacterium is also linked to the chemical radar system: P. syringae can only infect thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana, a very common plant model organism, in the presence of amoebae if the bacterium has an active “chemical radar” and is, therefore, able to defend itself against the predator.
The study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between microorganisms, protozoa, and higher plants. It also provides starting points for the discovery of new bioactive natural substances that can be useful to humans as drugs or in pest control.
Reference: “A chemical radar allows bacteria to detect and kill predators” by Shuaibing Zhang, Kevin Schlabach, Victor Hugo Pérez Carrillo, Anan Ibrahim, Shahran Nayem, Anna Komor, Ruchira Mukherji, Somak Chowdhury, Lisa Reimer, Felix Trottmann, A. Corina Vlot, Christian Hertweck, Ute A. Hellmich and Pierre Stallforth, 2 April 2025, Cell.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.033
Numerous fundings made this pioneering study possible under the direction of the Leibniz-HKI, including the Werner Siemens Foundation, the German Research Foundation within the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse” and the ChemBioSys Collaborative Research Center. The states of Hessen and Thuringia also supported the project with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE).
News
Study Shows Brain Signals Only Matter if They Arrive on Time
Signals are processed only if they reach the brain during brief receptive cycles. This timing mechanism explains how attention filters information and may inform therapies and brain-inspired technologies. It has long been recognized that [...]
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
