JERUSALEM, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have discovered a key mechanism bacteria use to activate disease-causing genes, providing new insights into how infections begin and might be stopped, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) said Sunday in a statement.
The study, published Wednesday in Nature Communications, founded that key bacterial protein CsrA would gather in a droplet-like structure inside bacteria cells, and act like a "switchboard operator" inside the temporary control center, helping the cells adapt to their environment and decide whether to attack hosts or stay harmless.
Using fluorescent markers, the researchers observed that these droplets naturally form under human gut-like conditions, and contain molecules critical for managing genetic activity, said the statement.
According to the statement, the study found that this mechanism may exist in many bacterial species, not just one. ■
