One species of bacteria acts as a peacemaker that stops a predator from killing a fungus so they can all live together in an infection.

Urinary tract infections often involve a mix of different species that are usually trying to kill each other. This study found that Enterococcus faecalis acts as a protective bridge that allows E. coli and a fungus called C. albicans to coexist peacefully. The bacteria physically intervene to prevent the E. coli from attacking the fungus, creating a stable, multi-species biofilm. This truce makes the resulting infection much harder to treat because the different organisms protect each other from antibiotics. Understanding these microbial social lives could help doctors find new ways to break up these dangerous partnerships.