Lifeline

It has been known that some bacteria are coated in syringe-like protein complexes, each ready to pierce through and inject their contents into anything it comes in contact with. Strangely enough, some bacteria hide these syringes in their inner membranes instead of presenting them on the outside. Another bacterium was found to have syringes not anchored to any membrane but floating freely through the cell. Using tools like cryo-electron microscopy, researchers in Zurich are slowly uncovering the mysteries surrounding these molecular syringes. They found several strategies of how the syringes are used. One of these strategies is the triggering of programmed cell death. Under stress conditions, the syringes could fire into neighbouring cells (of the same species) triggering apoptosis. Another way by which these syringes are used is to efficiently kill off competitors and predators with lethal chemicals. With more knowledge of how these molecular syringes operate it might be possible to engineer them; load them with any content, release them into the body and let them inject that content into any target of choice. Imagine the possibilities of custom made medicine that, instead of diffusing through the whole body, is delivered only to targeted cells.