Antibiotics spur protein transfer that boosts bacterial survival
· xavier bofill bruna
AI Briefing
- • Researchers investigated horizontal protein transfer between bacteria in a recent Science paper.
- • The study focused on Escherichia coli and its ability to exchange proteins.
- • Antibiotics boosted protein transfer, allowing bacteria to survive lethal doses.
Source Summary
It is known that bacterial cells exchange biological matter, but it is not clear whether bacteria can exchange functional proteins. In a recent paper published in Science on June 25, 2026, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and their collaborators investigated horizontal protein transfer between bacteria, specifically between protein-donor Escherichia coli and protein-receiving E. coli that could turn into persister cells and tolerate lethal antibiotic doses or a stressful environment.
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