Marine Bacteria Ditches Flagella Traits After 3 Billion Years
Scientists have discovered a new species of marine bacteria that has lost its ability to swim. The bacteria, dubbed “Tekayea staleyi”, was found in ocean sediment off the coast of Japan by researchers from the University of Tsukuba. They discovered that the bacteria had lost its flagella, a tail-like structure used for movement in most bacteria, indicating that it had lost its ability to swim. The researchers also found that the bacteria had adapted to its environment in other ways, such as by using a new type of gas-filled vesicle to move around. This discovery could have implications for our understanding of how bacteria adapt to their environment and evolve over time.
source: Phys.org