<ul><li>Bacterial cells in solutions of polymers such as mucus grow into long cable-like structures forming a 'living gel'.</li><li>Understanding this behavior could lead to new treatments for bacterial infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and provide insights into biofilm formation.</li><li>Laboratory studies show that in polymeric mucus solutions, bacterial cells form long cable-like structures, remaining stuck together and bending to form an entangled network.</li><li>The discovery of this morphology could aid in the treatment of bacterial infections and motivate further research on cable formation's influence on bacterial interactions.</li></ul>

Bacterial ‘cables’ form a living gel in mucus

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