Fresh ammunition in bacterial warfare

ATP is crucial for almost every cellular process, from DNA replication to the production of proteins and maintenance of the cell's structural integrity. The authors found that (p)ppApp blocks ATP synthesis in the target cell by binding and inhibiting PurF, a key enzyme in the synthesizing process. [...]p)ppApp probably prevents the cell from regenerating ATP and so escaping the death spiral induced by the alarmone's own production. Type VI secretion systems provide bacteria with weapons against competitors, increasing their ability to thrive in a range of environments - from plants to the human intestinal tract to hospitals9,10.