An 11-day timelapse of breeding bacteria artfully visualizes evolution and antibiotic resistance.
This timelapse of bacteria spreading across a large table of nutrients--laced in increasingly potent strips with an antibiotic--is a clear and beautiful demonstration of evolution. On a stark black background, white bacteria creep across the table, pausing as they encounter a more deadly stripe of antibiotic. When mutant strains emerge that are capable of living in the harsher environment, they surge on to the next boundary.
In only 11 days, bacteria are thriving in antibiotic concentrations 1000 times greater than concentrations that killed their ancestors.
The 2-by-4-foot table was created and filmed for a Harvard Medical School graduate class and proved an effective educational tool. "When shown the video, evolutionary biologists immediately recognize concepts they’ve thought about in the abstract, while non-specialists immediately begin to ask really good questions,” said Tami Lieberman, who is a co-investigator on the project, in the Harvard press release.
The table also revealed a new insight in bacterial evolution. The first mutant strains to reach the highest concentration of antibacterial are not necessarily the strongest. The fittest, most reproductively successful strains might develop resistance to antibiotics later.
(The demonstration was also inspired by a Hollywood marketing ploy for the film Contagion, that spelled out the movie’s title with spreading bacteria.)
In only 11 days, bacteria are thriving in antibiotic concentrations 1000 times greater than concentrations that killed their ancestors.
The 2-by-4-foot table was created and filmed for a Harvard Medical School graduate class and proved an effective educational tool. "When shown the video, evolutionary biologists immediately recognize concepts they’ve thought about in the abstract, while non-specialists immediately begin to ask really good questions,” said Tami Lieberman, who is a co-investigator on the project, in the Harvard press release.
The table also revealed a new insight in bacterial evolution. The first mutant strains to reach the highest concentration of antibacterial are not necessarily the strongest. The fittest, most reproductively successful strains might develop resistance to antibiotics later.
(The demonstration was also inspired by a Hollywood marketing ploy for the film Contagion, that spelled out the movie’s title with spreading bacteria.)
RSS Feed