Nigerian scientist co-leads new US research on bacteria

A Nigerian scientist, Kehinde Adebiyi, has co-led a research study at Indiana University in the United States, uncovering an unexpected weakness in bacteria’s process of building structures used for movement.

Adebiyi, a researcher in the Department of Biology at Indiana University, Bloomington, co-led the study with an American researcher, Caroline Dunn.

The research, published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the process bacteria use to build their whip-like structures for movement could put unexpected stress on the protective wall surrounding the cell.

Speaking with Diaspora Tales, the Nigerian researcher said the study demonstrated the significance of fundamental research into simple questions that could uncover unexpected insights into the biology of microorganisms.

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The research was partly supported by the United States National Institutes of Health.

Adebiyi said the finding revealed a previously unrecognised link between bacterial movement and the maintenance of the cell wall that keeps bacterial cells intact.

He said, “The researchers conducted their experiments using Bacillus subtilis, a harmless soil bacterium widely used as a model organism for understanding bacterial growth, movement and cell biology.

“The exciting part of this work is that a structure we normally think about only in terms of movement can actually create vulnerability in the bacterial cell envelope. Our findings show that flagella assembly and cell-wall maintenance are much more connected than we previously appreciated.”

Biodun Busari is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with five years of experience reporting on human interest, crime, diaspora issues, and feature storytelling. He focuses on producing engaging, informative stories that enlighten the public and provide context on complex topics. Biodun’s work demonstrates hands-on newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accurate, purpose-driven journalism.

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