'Microbial piracy' uncovers new way to fight drug-resistant infections
17 hours ago
- #antibiotic resistance
- #AI in science
- #bacteriophages
- Researchers discovered 'pirate phages' hijack other viruses to break into bacteria, spreading new genetic material.
- Imperial scientists found bacteriophages can be hijacked by phage satellites, aiding bacterial genetic material transfer.
- The study reveals how bacteria acquire traits like antibiotic resistance and virulence through phage piracy.
- Capsid-forming phage-inducible chromosomal islands (cf-PICIs) hijack tails from unrelated phages to create hybrid viruses.
- cf-PICIs can infiltrate new bacterial species by hijacking tails from different phage species, broadening their host range.
- Understanding this piracy could lead to new therapies and diagnostic tools for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Imperial researchers filed patents to develop applications from this discovery.
- An AI 'co-scientist' platform by Google helped validate hypotheses, accelerating scientific discovery.
- The findings were published in the journal Cell, highlighting potential impacts on antimicrobial resistance.