Possible ‘Trojan Horse’ found for treating stubborn bacterial infections

Researchers from Washington State University have discovered that bacteria can be tricked into sending death signals to stop the growth of biofilms, which are slimy, protective homes that lead to deadly infections. The researchers discovered that extracellular vesicles are key to managing the growth of the protective biofilm. The vesicles, tiny bubbles from 30 to 50 nanometers, shuttle molecules from cells, entering and then re-programming neighboring cells and acting as a cell-to-cell communications system. The researchers were able to harness the vesicles with the instructions to stop growing the biofilm and to use them to fool the bacteria into killing off the biofilm.