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Small molecules that correct the splicing of the SMN2 gene have the potential to treat spinal muscular atrophy, the major genetic cause of infantile death. A recent "Nature Chemical Biology" paper by the Allain group (IMBB) sheds light on the mode of action of the gene-specific SMN2 splicing modifier.

Following insults to their genome cells mount a stress response, allowing the organism to survive and repair otherwise lethal lesions. A new study by the Weber-Ban group investigates how mycobacteria engage transcription factor PafBC to respond to DNA damage. The findings help understand the biology of mycobacteria including the pathogenic species that causes tuberculosis.

Fatty diets affect health and change the gut microbiota. Whether these diet-induced changes promote Salmonella Typhimurium diarrhea has remained unclear. This was explored in a recent Nature Microbiology publication by Sandra Wotzka and Markus Kreuzer from the Hardt lab.

Madhav Jagannathan joined the D-BIOL as an Assistant Professor of Cellular Dynamics and was welcomed as a new department member in the department conference of 30 September.