Research has shed important new light on the enemies-turned-allies that allow bacteria to exchange genes, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The insights, which expand our understanding of the major global health threat of AMR, came as John Innes Center researchers investigated the curious phenomena of gene transfer agents (GTAs).

These gene-carrying particles look like bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria), but they have been domesticated from ancient viruses and put to beneficial use under the control of the bacterial host cell.

Acting as couriers, they take up parcels of host bacterial DNA and deliver them to neighboring bacteria. This “selfless” sharing, known as horizontal gene transfer, can rapidly spread useful traits including genes that confer resistance to antibiotic drugs used to treat infections.

Researchers at NYU Langone Health propose a model that could explain how cancer cells adapt to environmental stress, an approach that may lead to new therapies. Published online April 15 as the cover story of the journal Nature, the perspective article centers on a family of proteins called AP-1, which are quickly activated in cells in response to stressful situations—like being exposed to chemotherapy.

While AP-1 proteins have been studied for many decades, the authors propose they are part of a previously overlooked molecular mechanism in which cells survive by learning to rewire their circuitry. This process depends not on permanent changes to a cell’s DNA code, but rather on the cell’s ability to turn genes on or off, and then “remember” the changes that improve its survival chances.

The work suggests that cancer cells use this plasticity to explore gene expression patterns until they find a combination that helps them survive. Once a successful survival state is discovered, it can be locked in and passed down to future cell generations, leading to drug-resistant tumors.

The importance of diet and lifestyle in maintaining overall health has long been recognised. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key players in the intricate interplay between health and disease. This study, including 305 participants, examined the role of miRNAs from capillary blood as indicators of individual physiological characteristics, diet, and lifestyle influences. Key findings include specific miRNAs associated with inflammatory processes and dietary patterns. Notably, miR-155 was associated with subjects with metabolic diseases and upregulated in age. Additionally, the study revealed diet-related miRNA expressions: high consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains correlated with increased levels of miR-let-7a and miR-328, both implicated in anti-inflammatory pathways, and decreased expression of pro-inflammatory miR-21.