Offering a potential new strategy for fighting disease without relying on traditional antibiotics, scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered a surprising mechanism bacteria use to regulate when they become infectious.
The findings raise the possibility of preventing infections by keeping bacteria in a harmless state.
The breakthrough, led by Prof. Ilan Rosenshine from Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine, centers on a protein known as CsrA, long recognized for its role in controlling bacterial virulence — the ability of bacteria to cause disease. Until now, researchers believed CsrA operated freely within bacterial cells. However, the new study reveals that CsrA actually gathers into a droplet-like, membrane-less compartment inside the cell, forming a temporary “control center” that manages the activation of disease-causing genes.
“This compartment acts like a temporary control center,” said Rosenshine. “It helps bacteria shift gears — either gearing up to infect or slowing down to conserve energy.”
