An article in the April 2022 issue of Scientific American highlights recent studies published in Science Advances and The EMBO Journal by Ursula Jakob, Peter Freddolino, and their coworkers. Their research reveals that interactions between DNA-binding proteins and polyphosphate (polyP), an ancient and ubiquitous molecule, help to switch bacterial genes on and off, adding to evidence that epigenetic regulation is important in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. This new understanding of bacterial gene regulation may contribute to the development of novel antibiotics and to the optimization of genetically engineered bacteria for biotechnology.
"Ancient molecule helps bacteria untangle genetic activity" in Scientific American
“Polyphosphate drives bacterial heterochromatin formation” in Science Advances