Microbes scared to death by virus presence
Thursday, April 2, 2015 - 12:30
in Biology & Nature
The microbe Sulfolobus islandicus can go dormant, ceasing to grow and reproduce, in order to protect themselves from infection by Sulfolobus spindle-shaped virus 9 (SSV9), researchers have discovered. The dormant microbes are able to recover if the virus goes away within 24 to 48 hours -- otherwise they die.