Antibiotics trigger bacterial teamwork, boosting survival through shared proteins

When bacteria are under antibiotic attack, it is not "every man for himself." Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and colleagues from collaborating institutions have discovered that bacterial populations work as a team to survive antibiotics. The study, published in the journal Science, reveals that bacteria pool their resources, helping quiescent or dormant cells survive. The findings help explain why some bacteria are hard to eliminate and suggest potential future approaches to improve antibiotic effectiveness.