Genetic Mutations Enable Efficient Evolution of TB-Causing Bacteria
Published:22 Jun.2022 Source:eLife
Researchers have identified how the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) can evolve rapidly in response to new environments, says a study published today in eLife.
As with other species of bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is able to form complex structures called biofilms which allow bacterial cells to resist stressors such as antibiotics and immune cells. For this study, the research team evolved populations of M. tuberculosis in the lab and found that it could form thick biofilms due to mutations in genetic regions that cause multiple changes to happen at once. These findings could inform the development of antibiotics targeted at biofilm growth.