New Method Activates Bacterial Self-Destruction to Fight Infections

Discovery offers a fresh strategy against antibiotic resistance, leveraging a natural defense mechanism.

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have discovered a new method to activate a bacterial defense system known as CBASS, which causes bacteria to self-destruct and prevent virus spread.
The discovery offers a novel approach to managing bacterial infections and combating antibiotic resistance, a significant concern in healthcare settings.
CBASS activation involves the use of cyclic nucleotides to trigger the self-destruction of bacterial DNA, a process explored through structural analysis and various assays.
The technique could potentially be applied to various harmful bacteria, offering a new tool in the fight against drug-resistant infections.
The research was supported by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Simons Foundation.