Kamikaze bacteria illustrate evolution of cooperation

sea-maid submitted, created time 2 months 4 weeks (www.nature.com)

Bacteria can commit suicide to help their brethren establish more damaging infections — and scientists think that they can explain how this behaviour evolved.

The phenomenon, called self-destructive cooperation, can help bacteria such as Salmonella typhimurium and Clostridium difficile to establish a stronghold in the gut.

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