Hijacking the bacterial immune system highway: new research

In Georgia, University of Georgia researchers have found a way hijack the bacterial immune system to direct its homing system to a target of their choosing. Building on prior work from 2009, the researchers modified the bacteria’s immune system to specifically target and destroy the message for a protein that is responsible for resistance to the most commonly prescribed family of antibiotics.

As a result, researchers believe using this technique, gene expression could be modified in bacteria that are used to break down plant materials for biofuels or that produce medications, such as insulin, to improve quality and production.