New discovery in C. difficile biology could lead to treatments for dangerous infections

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) A process called sporulation that helps the dangerous bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) to survive inhospitable conditions and spread is regulated by epigenetics, factors that affect gene expression beyond the DNA genetic code, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report. This is the first discovery that epigenetics regulate sporulation in any bacteria. Their research, published November 25th in Nature Microbiology, opens a new window to developing treatments for this devestating infection.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news