7 | Moyne Institute: The weird sex life of bacteria

Moyne Institute of Microbiology

Sex for bacteria can also be a simultaneous sex-change operation, turning female bacteria into males, as if maleness was somehow contagious.Scientists had known this since the 1940s, but no one could explain it. The mystery was solved in the 1950s by Prof Bill Hayes, a geneticist who trained at TCD.

Today, scientists working at the Moyne Institute of Microbiology study microbial diseases,and the genetics of antibiotic resistance, and will even analyse the quality of drinking water samples, should you ever be worried about your supply.

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• Track 07 | The weird sex life of bacteria (3 mins) [MP3, 2.62mB]