Cannibal bacteria could lead to new antibiotics
We tend to think of bacteria as engaging in chemical warfare only when they attack us, wreaking havoc on our cells. But the microbiome is a vicious place, with many species hurling toxins at each other, attempting to gain a competitive advantage. A bacterium called Bacillus subtilis goes beyond the pale; it contains a set of genes for a “cannibalism system” that it uses to off its close relatives when facing starvation, enabling it to get enough nutrients to form a spore and ride out the lean times.
