Bacteria Provide a Frontline Defense
By Nathan Seppa
With some genetic manipulation, scientists have turned mild-mannered bacteria into stout defenders against disease.
Researchers have learned in the past 2 decades how to entice bacteria naturally found in the body to make compounds that fight a variety of ailments. The technique has been limited, however, because these compounds usually stay anchored to a bacterium’s surface. Two studies from Europe now demonstrate that the bacteria can secrete such agents–freeing them to more effectively fight disease.