Programmed cell death in E. coli

[ac83]

Hi people,

I have to do a presentation on a paper which talks about using a genetially engineered m13 phage that will cause programmed cell death on e.coli cells. This paper talks about using methods like this as a possible alternative treatment of bacterial infections. What I need to know more about is programmed cell death in E.coli. Anything about it, if anyone knows anything it would be appreciated.

thanks

[telomerase]

being unicellular with a circular genome (no chromosome-end problem), I always wondered... why would a bacteria kill itself???

it has been documented that bacteria actually does! in response to infection, and to maintantain colonial organisation.

also in the time of starvation, a unicellular organism would kill itself to provide nutrients to neighbouring starving cells... how selfless

anyways,

here is a useful paper

Yarmolinsky, 1995, Programmed cell death in bacterial population, Science 267: 836-837

I would be targetting E.coli-infected cells rather than E.coli itself... since apoptotic pathways in eukaryotic cells are (shockingly) better understood... that is if you are using your virus for therapeutic reasons.

good luck