DISCOVERIESDrug-resistant bacteria responsible
for deadly infections that spread
inside hospitals have been on the rise
for several years. Over time these
bacteria have developed the ability
to shut out antibiotics by closing tiny
doors in their cell walls, rendering
them ineffective.
However, things may be about
change. Researchers at Imperial
College London have discovered
how bacteria lock out antibiotics,
highlighting a new avenue to tackle
antibiotic resistance.
The team concentrated their
efforts on Klebsiella pneumoniae – a
bacterium that causes infections in
the lungs, blood, and open wounds.
Like many bacteria, K. pneumoniae
is becoming increasingly resistant to
antibiotics, particularly a group of
drugs called carbapenems. These are
a class of antibiotics that are used
when others have failed.Antibiotics usually enter the
K. pneumoniae bacteria through
surface doorways known as pores.
However, the scientists found that
antibiotic-resistant K. pneumoniae^
have modified versions of the proteins
necessary to fully form these pores,
leading to cell walls that antibiotics
are unable to penetrate. Finding a drug
that could reverse this process, and
reopen the pores, is one way to combat
antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae.
“The modification the bacteria use
to avoid antibiotics is difficult to get
around. Any drugs to counteract this
defence mechanism would likely also
get blocked out by the closed doors,”
said research leader Prof Gad Frankel.
“However, we hope that it will be
possible to design drugs that can pick
the lock of the door, and our data
provides information to help scientists
and pharmaceutical companies make
these new agents a reality.”Scientists
discover how
bacteria block
out antibiotics
New ‘lock-picking’ drugs
could get inside the
bacterial cells and help us
beat antibiotic resistanceGET T Y IMAGES X2, WONG ET AL.MEDICINE
This is the
structure of the
protein that
closes the door
to antibiotics
trying to enter a
bacterial cellDISCOVERIESDrug-resistant bacteria responsible
for deadly infections that spread
inside hospitals have been on the rise
for several years. Over time these
bacteria have developed the ability
to shut out antibiotics by closing tiny
doors in their cell walls, rendering
them ineffective.
However, things may be about
change. Researchers at Imperial
College London have discovered
how bacteria lock out antibiotics,
highlighting a new avenue to tackle
antibiotic resistance.
The team concentrated their
efforts onKlebsiella pneumoniae– a
bacterium that causes infections in
the lungs, blood, and open wounds.
Like many bacteria,K. pneumoniae
is becoming increasingly resistant to
antibiotics, particularly a group of
drugs called carbapenems. These are
a class of antibiotics that are used
when others have failed.Antibiotics usually enter the
K. pneumoniaebacteria through
surface doorways known as pores.
However, the scientists found that
antibiotic-resistantK. pneumoniae
have modified versions of the proteins
necessary to fully form these pores,
leading to cell walls that antibiotics
are unable to penetrate. Finding a drug
that could reverse this process, and
reopen the pores, is one way to combat
antibiotic resistance inK. pneumoniae.
“The modification the bacteria use
to avoid antibiotics is difficult to get
around. Any drugs to counteract this
defence mechanism would likely also
get blocked out by the closed doors,”
said research leader Prof Gad Frankel.
“However, we hope that it will be
possible to design drugs that can pick
the lock of the door, and our data
provides information to help scientists
and pharmaceutical companies make
these new agents a reality.”Scientists
discover how
bacteria block
out antibiotics
New ‘lock-picking’ drugs
could get inside the
bacterial cells and help us
beat antibiotic resistanceGET T Y IMAGES X2, WONG ET AL.
MEDICINE
This is the
structure of the
protein that
closes the door
to antibiotics
trying to enter a
bacterial cellDISCOVERIES