Sticky infection (IMAGE)
Caption
University of Iowa biologists have uncovered a shared genetic factor among disease-causing fungi, including one species that has been associated with hospital outbreaks in the US. The image shows proteins encoded by the Hil gene family that root themselves in cells and use sticky, or adhesive, properties to attach themselves to medical devices, such as catheters, to tissue or to create a drug-resistant wall called biofilm.
Credit
Bin He lab, University of Iowa
Usage Restrictions
None.
License
Original content