Tuberculosis ‘zombie cell’ weakness identified using genetically modified bacteria

Publication date: Jul 04, 2025

“This groundbreaking research could lead to new drugs that target persisters, shortening treatment regimens and reducing both treatment costs and the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These persister cells can survive intense antibiotic treatments by essentially playing dead. Once the drugs are gone, they “wake up” and can trigger recurring, and often deadly, infections. These are a tiny group of phenotypically drug-resistant bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment and can go on to cause treatment failure. “Mutations in some of the genes identified in the study have been found in TB strains from patients who do not respond to treatment. “More information: Johana E. Hernndez Toloza et al, The identification Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes that modulate long term survival in the presence of rifampicin and streptomycin, Scientific Reports (2025). Their solution could revolutionize treatment for some of the most challenging diseases to treat, such as tuberculosis (TB). Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content’s credibility:A gene association plot of mutants with (a) increased, and (b) decreased fitness when challenged with Rifampicin.

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