In animals and plants extracellular ATP (eATP) functions as signal and regulates the immune response. During inflammation intestinal bacteria are exposed to elevated eATP originating from the mucosa. However, whether bacteria respond to eATP is unclear. Here we show that non-pathogenic Escherichi...
The bacterial lipid membrane, consisting both of fatty acid (acyl) tails and polar head groups, responds to changing conditions through alteration of either the acyl tails and/or head groups. This plasticity is critical for cell survival as it allows maintenance of both the protective nature of t...