Bugs gamble, lie and cheat

[Fred56]

"The benefits of 'friendly' bacteria are well known --but now scientists have found some are liars and cheats.

New ...research shows bacteria deceive others for their own benefit but will co-operate for the good of their family.

Edinburgh and Nottingham Universities have found bacteria can cheat their way out of responsibility and avoid contributing to group efforts ...while saving their own resources and benefiting from the efforts of the group.

But the research, in the journal Nature, shows that bacteria, like animals, tend not to cheat ...[their] relatives. This is believed to be because co-operation with kin helps to promote the family DNA.

Scientists believe the research will help ...[with] understanding ...infection spread ...and how diseases evolve." --PA source Nov 2007

[curiouslou]

Hmm. It seems that humans arent the only scum on earth after all. [minor pun intended]

 

I guess it seems logical however as propagation of ones species is a major factor of any such organism. Hmmm, So the question is, do these little microbial organisms have an iddy biddy mind or is it simply a motivation of survival?

[gonelli]

I would think that a bacteria "family" looking out for each other would be achieved by them looking for bacteria with related DNA.

 

But how related would they have to be for there to be any co-operation between them? Maybe second cousins lye to each other?

[jorge1907]

Alot of anthropomorphizing.

[iNow]

Alot of anthropomorphizing.

 

A very astute observation, friend.