Vivek Thacker News Today

Study shows how numerous generations of dividing bacteria tie together to form snake-like cords in Mycobacterium tuberculosis to enable antibiotic resistance. | Health

The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), a serious respiratory infection, to form snake-like cords was first noted nearly 80 years ago. In a study published October 20 in the journal Cell, investigators report the biophysical mechanisms by which these cords form and demonstrate how several generations of dividing bacteria hang together to create these structures that enable resistance to antibiotics.