Pathogen metabolite checkpoint: NHR on guard

How can beneficial microorganisms be distinguished from pathogenic ones? In this issue of Immunity , Pe-terson et al. discovered that a specific phenazine, which is part of a family of toxic metabolites expressed by pathogenic bacteria, is detected by Caenorhabditis elegans by directly binding to a nuclear hormone re-ceptor, promoting the expression of detoxifying enzymes and immunity-related genes, thus protecting the worm.

Automated summary

In this study, researchers discovered that a specific metabolite can be recognized by Caenorhabditis elegans, leading to the activation of detoxifying enzymes and immunity-related genes through binding with a nuclear hormone receptor, thus protecting the worm from pathogenic bacteria.