Dormant bacteria resist antibiotics

Bacterial dormancy is a major medical nuisance because their slowed metabolism protects them from the action of antibiotic treatments. This transition to a dormant state can be triggered by the HokB peptide, which blocks ATP production while creating pores through which this essential molecule escapes. The awakening of these microorganisms remained mysterious until 2019, the year in which researchers identified the action of the DsbC enzyme that destroys these dimers.