NEW YORK, July 30 (GenomeWeb News) - First it was flies, then came humans, and now the bacterium that causes acne has been sequenced.
A team of researchers, led by Holder Breuggeman at the University of Gottingen in Germany, completed the genome sequence of Propionibacterium acnes, and published the results in today's issue of Science.
This bacterium lives inside glands that secrete oil into hair follicles. It encodes 2,333 genes, the researchers found.
The researchers identified gene products implicated in the bacterium's ability to trigger inflammation, and otherwise attack and destroy human skin components. They said this sequence can provide underpinnings of research on new medications for acne and other related diseases.