The Bacterial Game of Thrones

Two bacterial colonies fighting on solid media using toxins. Upon detecting an incoming attack from the red strain, cells of the bottom strain pass this information on to others in the colony leading to a massive collective attack against the red strain. Green colour indicates toxin production. Image credit: Kevin Foster / Dr Despoina Mavridou Much like animals and to a degree humans, bacteria enjoy a good fight. They stab, shove and poison each other in pursuit of the best territory. While this much is clear, little is known about the tactics and strategy that bacteria use during their miniature wargames. In a study published in Current Biology, researchers at the University of Oxford have shed light on this area of bacterial behaviour, revealing that bacteria approach conflict in much the same way as an army by responding to a threat with a coordinated, collective retaliation.