- The researchers discovered that certain bacteria are attracted to the liquid part of the blood that contains nutrients that can be used as food, a phenomenon they call “bacteriophagia.”
- Researchers say the study could lead to medical innovations that can help treat patients with bloodstream infections.
- During the study, researchers discovered that the bacteria seemed particularly attracted to serine, an amino acid found in human blood that is also a common ingredient in protein drinks.
Portland, Oregon (light seal) – A research team led by Washington State University has discovered a phenomenon in which some of the world’s deadliest bacteria feed on human blood.
The researchers discovered that bacteria are attracted to the liquid part of the blood, which contains nutrients that can be used as food, in a phenomenon called “bacteriophagia.”
Researchers say the study could lead to medical innovations that can help treat patients with bloodstream infections.
During the study, researchers discovered that the bacteria seemed particularly attracted to serine, an amino acid found in human blood that is also a common ingredient in protein drinks.
“Bacteria that infect the bloodstream can be deadly,” says Arden Beylink, a professor at WSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine and corresponding author of the study. “We found that some of the bacteria that most commonly cause bloodstream infections actually sense chemicals in human blood and swim toward them.”
Researchers have discovered that at least three types of bacteria are attracted to human blood: Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Citrobacter coseri.
These bacteria are also a leading cause of death in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, who often experience intestinal bleeding, which can serve as a gateway for bacteria to enter the bloodstream, the university explained.
Using a high-powered microscope designed by Baylink, the research team simulated intestinal bleeding by injecting tiny amounts of serum and watching the bacteria migrate to the source.
“The reaction is rapid, taking less than a minute for the pathogen to find the serum,” WSU said.
Researchers determined that Salmonella has a special protein receptor called Tsr that allows the bacteria to sense it and swim toward the bloodstream. Researchers believe that serine is one of the chemicals in the blood that bacteria can sense and consume.
“Knowing how these bacteria are able to detect blood sources may allow us to develop new drugs in the future that block this ability. “It has the potential to improve the lives and health of people with IBD,” Glenn said.
The study was published in the journal e-life WSU and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
WSU mathematician Tom Asaki and University of Oregon scientists Zealon Gentry-Lear, Michael Shavlik, and Michael Harms contributed to the research.
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