Antibiotic-tolerant bacteria rely on a hidden RNA-based survival strategy

Antibiotics are a medical marvel, but many microbes are gaining the ability to resist and tolerate these therapeutics. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have uncovered how S. pneumoniae adapts to antibiotic exposure and immune pressures. Their findings reveal that changes in RNA regulation enable bacteria to enter a state of antibiotic tolerance. The results provide a deeper understanding of how pathogens survive treatment and could inform strategies to improve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics. The findings were published in Cell Host & Microbe.