New structural and mechanistic work on ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) and their bacterial regulator NrdR has clarified how bacteria control dNTP synthesis, exposing bacterial‑specific control points for antimicrobial development. Researchers described the regulatory architecture that tunes RNR activity and identified features of NrdR that are absent in eukaryotes, highlighting a potentially selective vulnerability for antibiotic design. The findings, reported in linked studies, provide molecular blueprints for next‑generation antimicrobials aimed at DNA synthesis control. Authors emphasized that targeting regulatory proteins unique to bacteria could reduce off‑target effects on human cells and offer a path around existing resistance mechanisms.