Research team at the TWINCORE and the HZI shows how an enzyme regulates the pathogenicity of a clinically relevant pathogen.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections that are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Researchers from TWINCORE, the Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research in Hannover, and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig have now been able to show that an enzyme controls virulence through modification of tRNAs. They hope that their findings will pave the way for the development of new treatments.