Bacteria are, apparently, able to produce toxins that facilitate their presence in a multitude of organisms, ranging from various species of invertebrates to humans. A specific portion of the bacteria's DNA strand is responsible for the production of these toxins once a host becomes infected with P. asymbiotica. By developing a means of counteracting this behavior, scientists at the University of Bath, who conducted the study, hope to some day be able to devise new vaccines and anti-bacterial drugs.
 

Dr Nick Waterfield and Dr Maria Sanchez-Contreras, authors of this experiment, both at the Department of Biology and Biochemistry within the university, say that bacteria are usually adapted to infect only a specific type of host, but that the toxins they produce also have an effect on other organisms. For their experiment, the scientists used three species of invertebrates – insects, worms and amoebae – as well as mammalian cells. Though P. asymbiotica usually only infect and kill insects, Waterfield says that they can also cause unpleasant human infections.
 

By analyzing exactly how the bacteria jump from host to host, the scientists hope to be able to prevent them from mutating to a point where they may become dangerous or potentially fatal to humans. "We have developed a new way of discovering a greater number of previously unknown toxins and measuring how dangerous or virulent these bacteria are. Identifying the genes responsible for the production and secretion of these bacterial toxins will allow us find ways to prevent disease," Sanchez said.

 
The main result of the research is the development of a new DNA-exploring technique, called Rapid Virulence Annotation (RVA). With it, doctors can quickly and accurately identify the damaging potential of bacteria, as well as the portions of their DNA that are responsible for producing toxins that are able to pass the species barrier. "This technique should prove to be a gold mine for potential vaccine candidates," said Richard ffrench-Constant, professor of insect microbiology from the University of Exeter.