Increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections call for new treatment strategies. One possibility would be to use natural predatory bacteria which kill other bacteria as prey. Certain predatory bacteria invade other bacteria and destroy them from within. Bacteria have different immune systems to fight viruses of bacteria named bacteriophages (e.g. with CRISPR-Cas). This project aims to clarify whether bacteria also have immune systems against these predatory bacteria as a last line of defence. This will contribute to the development of future treatment options with predatory bacteria.
Funding source: ERC Starting Grant 2025 BAC-MUNITY
