Bacteria are known to cause some of the most repulsive smells on earth. But believe it or not, now scientists have revealed this lowest of life forms too has a sense of smell.
A team of marine microbiologists at Australia's Newcastle University has discovered that bacteria have a molecular "nose" that is able to detect airborne, smell-producing chemicals such as ammonia.
Published in Biotechnology Journal, their study shows how bacteria are capable of 'olfaction' — sensing volatile chemicals in the air such as ammonia produced by rival bacteria present in the environment.
Led by Reindert Nijland, the research also shows that bacteria respond to this smell by producing a biofilm — or 'slime' — as individual bacteria join together to colonise an area in a bid to push out any potential competitor.
Biofilm is a major cause of infection on medical implants such as heart valves, artificial hips and even breast implants, according to a Newcastle University statement.
Also known as 'biofouling', it costs the marine industry millions every year, slowing ships down and wasting precious fuel.
But it also has its advantages. Certain biofilms thrive on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up an oil spill.
Nijland, who carried out the work at Newcastle University's Dove Marine Lab, said the findings would help to further our understanding of how biofilms are formed and how we might be able to manipulate them to our advantage.
"This is the first evidence of a bacterial 'nose' capable of detecting potential competitors," he said. "The next step will be to identify the nose or sensor that actually does the smelling."
Project supervisor Grant Burgess, director of the Dove Marine Lab, said: "The sense of smell has been observed in many creatures, even yeasts and slime moulds, but our work shows for the first time that a sense of smell even exists in lowly bacteria."
"Bacterial infections kill millions of people every year and discovering how your bacterial enemies communicate with each other is an important step in winning this war," Burgess said.