Abstract

In the 21st century we have finally begun to leave behind the mythology that bacteria are simple, primitive organisms. They have proved to be complex and sophisticated, exhibiting mechanisms and rates of evolution that leave other organisms in the shade. The evolution of antibiotic resistance is a case in point, and we now stand on the edge of a healthcare crisis that is a direct result of our failure to understand just how clever the opposition is.

I have worked on Escherichia coli since 1980 and it remains my favourite organism to this day. In recent years my laboratory has been working on bacterial communication via a small signalling molecule called indole. In this talk I will give an introduction to indole signalling and explain how E. coli uses it to plan ahead and garner resources for survival in future periods of starvation.