News Microbes

Killing with the flip of a switch

One genetic transformation turns friendly bacteria into assassins

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

Glow-in-the-dark bacteria living in nematode worms flip a genetic switch to change from peaceful cohabitants into killers.

In nematode worms, friendly colonies of bacteria (green) can turn into toxic killers (red) by the flip of a genetic switch. Courtesy of Alexander Martin

The M-form (M for mutualism) of Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria make friendly colonies inside nematodes.