Bacteria Create Salt Shelters to Hibernate and Survive Harsh Conditions

Scientists have detected a never-before-seen interaction between migroorganisms and salt. They've found that when Escherichia coli cells are introduced into a droplet of salt water that is left to dry, the bacteria manipulate the salt crystallization to create biomineralogical biosaline 3D morphologically complex formations, where they hibernate.

The bacterium Escherichia coli is one of the most studied living forms. Yet to date, no one had noticed what the microorganism could do within salt water.

"It was a complete surprise, a fully unexpected result, when I introduced E. coli cells into salt water and I realized that the bacteria had the ability to join the salt crystallization and modulate the development and growth of the sodium chloride crystals," said Jose Maria Gomez, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Thus in around four hours, in the drop of water that had dried, an impressive tapestry of biosaline patterns was created with complex 3D architecture."

Essentially what E. coli manages to do is create a structured "house" where it can hibernate under adverse conditions. When water is used to rehydrate the salt, the bacterium can become active once more.

"The most interesting result is that the bacteria enter a state of hibernation inside some desiccated patterns, but they can then later be 'revived' simply by rehydration," said Gomez. "Given the richness and complexity of these formations, they may be used as biosignatures in the search for life in extremely dry environments outside our own planet, such as the surface of Mars or that of Jupiter's satellite, Europa."

The findings reveal a bit more about how these bacteria can survive even under harsh, adverse conditions. This could have implications for the study of life on other planets.

The findings are published in the journal Astrobiology.