Bacterial DNA Jiggling Motion Halted Before Cell Death

On December 31 2018, a research group from the University of Wisconsin-Madison published a paper in PNAS, revealing a fascinating mechanism behind the action of antimicrobial peptides.

The study showed that LL-37, a natural antimicrobial peptide, freezes the machinery inside bacterial cells as part of its strategy in attacking the pathogen.

This movie shows the diffusive motion of DNA within a dividing bacterial cell. DNA, labeled in green in the center image, jiggles in place until LL-37 enters the cell, as shown by a burst of orange in the right image.

At that point, the DNA quickly stop moving, which helps kills the cell.

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