TWiM explains two strategies for bacterial competition for resources: by laying down a slippery lipid and pushing away competitors, or by breaking open cells with a spike, liberating essential nutrients.

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Links for this episode:

• Secreting a slippery lipid (mBio)

• Lysing neighboring cells for nutrients (Science)

• Underwater hockey (YouTube

Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

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