Bacteria have a simple yet potent mechanism that controls their sensitivity to environmental stimuli. A new study by researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, reveals that the responsiveness of cells is directly linked to their growth rate: the slower cells grow, the more sensitively they respond to their environment. This increased sensitivity can give the cells a crucial survival advantage.

We innovatively investigated the effects of predation risk on the prey survival strategy and response mechanisms, using ciliate protozoa. Specifically, various predation risk cues enhanced prey population growth rates, suggesting that prey employ an early reproduction strategy to counter predation risk. However, the effects of predation risk decreased with increasing conspecific prey density. In particular, prey’s response mechanisms differ in pathways, their location, and in the bioprocess, which relies on predation risk cue attributes.

Researchers at Nanjing University of Science and Technology (NJUST) developed eDL-cSIM, an AI-driven super-resolution imaging technique that captures fine cellular details in a single shot, enabling faster, gentler observation of dynamic cellular processes with broad implications for advancing biomedical research.