Editor’s Selections: Trypanosomes love social networking, a radical source of antibiotic resistance, and snakes interrupted
February 19th, 2010 Editor's Selections 3 Comments
Vincent Racaniello selects several notable posts each week from molecular and cellular biology and virology. He blogs at virology blog.
- The procyclic form of African trypanosomes move together as a group when grown on a semisolid surface. This social motility, mediated by the flagella, is a surprising new feature in trypanosome biology.
- Bactericidal antibiotics may cause cell death, irrespective of the initial cellular target of the drug, by stimulating the production of hydroxyl radicals, a reactive oxygen species . The hydroxyl radical damages cellular DNA, proteins and the cell wall, leading to cell death.
- For wildlife like the timber rattlesnake, trying to cross country roads is a life-or-death challenge. Such roads contribute to the genetic decline of the species.
I’ll be back next Friday with more selections.
