Researchers discover how C. difficile uses a compound in broccoli to thrive, potentially leading to new treatments.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that C. difficile, a common cause of hospital-related diarrhea, can convert a toxic compound, 4-thiouracil, found in foods like broccoli, into a nutrient, giving it an advantage over other gut bacteria. They identified an enzyme, TudS, which could be targeted for new treatments, and showed that adding TudS to a probiotic strain of E. coli could reduce C. difficile's growth in the gut. This discovery could lead to new ways to fight C. difficile infections.