Bacteria Anticipate Environmental Changes

E. coli bacterium © Dennis Kunkel

Researchers have discovered that bacteria and other microorganisms have the ability to predict changes in an environment and prepare in advance for the coming changes. Much like in Pavlov's adaptive anticipation experiments with dogs in which they were trained to salivate at the ringing of a bell, bacteria also have the ability to adapt to their environment through conditioned response.

E. coli bacteria are found normally in our digestive tract. While some mutant stains can be harmful, those that are part of the normal flora of our intestines help in digestion and provide us with certain vitamins. In the study, researchers discovered that E. coli bacteria in the environment of the digestive tract have been conditioned to recognize that the sugar lactose is followed by an additional sugar called maltose. As a result, when the bacteria activate genes to digest lactose they also partially activate genes to digest maltose. The bacteria further demonstrated their anticipatory capabilities by adapting to experimental lab conditions where the sugar maltose was not introduced after lactose. In these instances, the E. coli bacteria eventually stopped activating the genes to digest maltose unless the sugar was actually present.

Learn more about this study, see:

• Scientists Show Bacteria Can Plan Ahead (Science Daily)