Decrypted So bacteria form resistance to antibiotics

Breakthrough in research against antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat throughout the world. As more and more bacterial strains become resistant, well-curable diseases are again becoming deadly threats. A German science team has now achieved a breakthrough in bacterial research. They were able to decipher how bacteria manage to protect themselves from antibiotics.

For the first time, researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have been able to explain how the E. coli bacteria responsible for many diarrheal diseases defend themselves against antibiotics. According to the research team, this is an important step to prevent resistance. The study results were recently published in the renowned journal "Nature Communications".

Breakthrough: German researchers have been able to elucidate the mechanism by which coli bacteria protect themselves from antibiotics. (Image: Kateryna_Kon / fotolia.com)

Resistant bacteria can become a deadly threat

Bacteria that develop antibiotic resistance are increasingly becoming a medical problem. As a recent survey by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) showed, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health concerns among Germans. If these resistance levels continue to increase, many bacterial infectious diseases can be fatal. "This is a real threat," emphasizes Professor Dr. Milton T. Stubbs in a press release on the current study results.

Enlightenment is enormously important

Stubbs has been studying bacterial resistance for many years and highlights the urgent need to elucidate these resistance mechanisms. "Only if we find out how resistances actually arise, we can seek solutions to prevent them," explains the professor.

The researchers looked very closely

The team of experts uses X-ray crystallography during the examinations. This extremely precise method makes it possible to penetrate into the so-called angstrom region. This area corresponds to the size of a ten-billionth of a meter! The researchers report that single atoms are visible on this scale. They were able to observe proteins, which ultimately led to the elucidation of the resistance.

A colibacterium showed the resistance mechanism

The widespread Escherichia coli bacterium occurs in the intestine of humans and animals. Certain pathogenic strains of this bacterium can cause diarrhea or bloody diarrhea in dangerous diseases (EHEC). The researchers were able to isolate a membrane protein called MdfA from the E. coli bacteria and thus identify its molecular structure. "This is a very complicated process for sensitive membrane proteins," says Stubbs. Here you have to work under optimal conditions to keep the protein stable.

This is how coli bacteria protect themselves from antibiotics

By means of the abovementioned X-ray crystallography, the mechanism of resistance formation was finally decrypted. The research team compares the process with a pump. Initially, the antibiotic is taken up by the bacteria, but the protein MdfA ensures that the active substance is transported out of the cell before it can develop its deadly effect.

Treat all resistant bacteria in the same way?

"We assume that the mechanism revealed in this work applies to many other antibiotics," says Milton Stubbs. This is a solid basis for a later practical application. You can only look for solutions if you understand how resistances work. (Vb)