'Genetic arms race' between bacteria, viruses subject of stimulus grant

A Michigan State University researcher will probe that ancient dynamic against the backdrop of environmental and climate change, and the pivotal role played by aquatic bacteria in maintaining the Earth's biological balance.

"Even though (viruses) are important for regulating these (bacteria) populations, we find there's a lot of rapid evolution that occurs," said Jay Lennon, an MSU assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics. In laboratory settings the organisms known as cyanobacteria can take just weeks to evolve resistance to viruses, Lennon said, while viruses similarly mutate to find new ways to infect them.

		IMAGE: These viruses attach a cyanobacteria culture. Click here for more information.

Cyanobacteria play a vital role in sequestering ocean nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, during which they remove carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen. Understanding how they evolve to resist viruses could unlock information critical to environmental and climate studies, Lennon said.