New Technique Prevents Deadly Bacteria From Developing Antibiotic Resistance

Apr, 2022 - By SMI

Researchers discovered new approach to tackle antibiotic- resistant bacteria by targeting a protein that is used by bacteria to generate resistance to drug

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has become a major threat to global health as it causes more deaths more every year more than malaria or AIDS. Now a group of scientists at University of Texas, Austin discovered a new approach for tackling antibiotic-resistant bacteria by targeting a protein that is used by bacteria to create resistance to drug.

Superbugs are evolving from bacteria that developed resistance to antibiotics and these bacteria with drug resistant keep populating posing major threat to health all across the globe. To tackle this issue development of new drug could work for a while, however, bacteria eventually develop resistance to these solutions too. Maybe preventing resistance to antibiotics from developing in the first place could allow existing antibiotics to be effective as they’re meant to be. Recent studies developed molecules to break down the proteins used by bacteria to neutralize drugs. However, these molecule target separate proteins after the bacteria produce them, which limits the treatment’s scope. In the new study, the team tried to find a more fundamental way to stop development of these proteins in the first place.

In order for these antibiotic drugs to work, these resistance proteins require to be folded up into particular shapes and the team found that a different protein called DsbA helps to form that folding. The team targeted DsbA to stop the development of resistance proteins, and when the scientists inhibited this protein in bacteria, it was found that the bacteria became weak against existing antibiotic again. As reported by the team, the new method worked in some dangerous bacteria such as K. pneumonia, P.aeruginosa, and E. coli. that together cause superbug infections.