TB bacteria activate DNA repair mechanisms while drying in air, enabling survival and generating rifampin-resistance mutations during transmission between people. The Mfd gene drives this survival response; silencing it reduced drug-resistant TB survival in lab experiments and analysis of 50,000 patient genomes supports this finding.
TB bacteria mutate during airborne transmission, revealing drug-resistance target
Tuberculosis affects nearly 11 million people and causes approximately 1.2 million deaths globally each year, with drug-resistant forms requiring longer, costlier, and more toxic treatment regimens.