'Gatekeepers' open bugs to attack

Science - Cath Harris | 03 Dec 10. Bacteria have a canny way of protecting themselves from attack by toxic chemicals, aiding their survival and development. They have small channels in their cell wall, some of which can shut if there is no threat or open to help fight the toxins. These tiny channels act as molecular 'gatekeepers'. They control the flow of ions into and out of the cell and in that way safeguard bacteria, including the superbugs , E.coli , Salmonella and Legionella . If the channels could be kept open artificially, bacteria could be killed or their growth hindered. Stuart Conway from Oxford University's Department of Chemistry is part of a team studying the survival mechanisms of bacteria.