Tel Aviv, April 8 -- Israeli researchers revealed on Tuesday that the way bacteria move plays a direct role in the spread of antibiotic resistance in a study that opens up new possibilities for fighting antibiotic resistance.

The research centered on bacterial conjugation, the process by which bacteria share genetic material, including antibiotic resistance. Hebrew University scientists led by Professors Sigal Ben-Yehuda and Ilan Rosenshine found that the rotation of the bacteria's tail-like flagella acts as a mechanical signal triggering the conjugation process.

Till now, the prevailing understanding was that bacterial conjugation only took place on solid surfaces and that the tail's rotation was only for movement.

But the findings, r...