BacterioFiles 268 - Sophisticated Cyanobacterium Sight

Synechocystis cells
under electron microscope
Credit: Conrad Mullineaux

This episode: Spherical cyanobacterium Synechocystis acts like a tiny eyeball in sensing light, allowing cells to move closer to light sources!
Download Episode (9.7 MB, 10.6 minutes)

Show notes:
News item

Video 1: Synechocystis cells moving toward light sources
Video 2: Synechocystis cells avoiding point of bright light on surface

Journal Paper:
Schuergers N, Lenn T, Kampmann R, Meissner MV, Esteves T, Temerinac-Ott M, Korvink JG, Lowe AR, Mullineaux CW, Wilde A. 2016. Cyanobacteria use micro-optics to sense light direction. eLife 5:e12620.

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