Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
By definition, parasites are bad news. The word 'parasite' is used to describe any organism that lives on - or even in - another living being, benefitting at its expense. But, did you know, when it comes to the bacterial world, it is possible for a parasite to turn from an enemy into an ally? In fact, the original parasite can become a host bacterium's very own bodyguard! Dr Georgia Drew from Oxford's Department of Biology tells us more...
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Find out more on the King Lab website: thekinglab.com and in these research papers:
King et al 2016. Rapid evolution of microbe-mediated protection against pathogens in a worm host. The ISME Journal - doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.259
Drew, Stevens & King 2021. Microbial evolution and transitions along the parasite-mutualist continuum. Nature Reviews Microbiology - doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00550-7
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Subtítulos en español: Andrea Conde Díaz, Sonia San Isidro Grande y Carla Pérez Rúa. Con la supervisión de Laura González Fernández (Facultad de Traducción y Documentación, Universidad de Salamanca, España)
By definition, parasites are bad news. The word 'parasite' is used to describe any organism that lives on - or even in - another living being, benefitting at its expense. But, did you know, when it comes to the bacterial world, it is possible for a parasite to turn from an enemy into an ally? In fact, the original parasite can become a host bacterium's very own bodyguard! Dr Georgia Drew from Oxford's Department of Biology tells us more...
***
Find out more on the King Lab website: thekinglab.com and in these research papers:
King et al 2016. Rapid evolution of microbe-mediated protection against pathogens in a worm host. The ISME Journal - doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.259
Drew, Stevens & King 2021. Microbial evolution and transitions along the parasite-mutualist continuum. Nature Reviews Microbiology - doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00550-7
---
Subtítulos en español: Andrea Conde Díaz, Sonia San Isidro Grande y Carla Pérez Rúa. Con la supervisión de Laura González Fernández (Facultad de Traducción y Documentación, Universidad de Salamanca, España)
