Cholera kills many people every year and is caused by Vibrio cholerae, a bacterium that infects the small intestine. The bacterium moves with tail-like structures called flagella. Scientists knew the flagella proteins but not how the pieces fit together.
Researchers at Yale developed a new microscopy method to see the flagella in living bacteria. They made bacteria whose flagella proteins lit up, froze the cells in liquid ethane, and used a powerful electron microscope to image very small details. The images show proteins inside a hydrophilic sheath, and this may help the bacterium move through liquid and mucus. The findings could help future drug research.
Difficult words
- cholera — a serious disease that causes severe diarrhea
- bacterium — a single microscopic living organism that can infectbacteria
- flagellum — a thin tail on a cell that helps movementflagella
- protein — a molecule in cells that has many functionsproteins
- microscopy — the use of microscopes to see very small things
- mucus — a thick slippery liquid made by body surfaces
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is it useful to see small parts of bacteria?
- How could knowing how bacteria move help scientists or doctors?
- Have you heard of any methods that help see very small things?
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