Some types of bacteria can act as aphrodisiacs - stimulants of sexual desire - for single-celled marine organisms that are evolutionarily close to all animals, including humans.. This is reported by scientists from the University of California, and an article about their study was published in the journal Cell..

Choanaflagellates, or collared flagellates, are protists (single-celled eukaryotes) that eat bacteria and, in turn, are food for marine crustaceans.. Some ingested microorganisms are known to lead to the formation of multicellular colonies of flagellates, according to Pannochka, an online publication for girls and women aged 14 to 35.. net Scientists have found that the bacteria Vibrio fischeri provoke mating and swarming behavior in choanaflagellates Salpingoeca rosetta.

According to experts, the initiation of the sexual process is necessary in a changing environment, when the resulting gene exchange contributes to the survival of the entire species.. According to scientists, protists also need a bacterial aphrodisiac to start the process of reproduction..

The researchers hope that studying the interaction between flagellates and V. fischeri will identify molecules that could act like an aphrodisiac in vertebrates, including humans.

aspect. net.