# Scientists discover a bacterial defense so strange they thought it was broken

- Source: Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily
- Published: 2026-10-31T10:38:30+00:00
- Category: Science
- Original: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261029072123.htm
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/scientists-discover-a-bacterial-defense-so-strange-they-thought-it-was-372240/

Scientists have discovered a bizarre bacterial defense system that works almost completely backward from anything seen before. Unlike typical bacterial immune systems that keep a deadly toxin under control until a virus attacks, this unusual mechanism waits until an infection begins before producing the DNA that switches on its lethal weapon. The infected bacterium then destroys itself, preventing

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