Scientists have released new images in incredible detail showing antibiotics by penetrating microbial membranes and penetrating the internal organs.
Antibiotics called polymyxins were observed to forcibly strengthen the armor membrane around cellular cells of E. coli. The bacteria then drained the outer membrane, leaving space for antibiotics to enter the cells.
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Gram-negative bacteria are a wide range of microorganisms with two membranes surrounding each cell. Two membranes sandwich the wall of the cell. E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella – the types of bacteria that cause dysentery are all examples of Gram-negative bacteria.
Polymiquins are useful in treating infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria that have gained resistance to other antibiotics. They work by targeting the outside of two membranes of bacteria that act as a kind of armor that keeps out antibiotics. However, they don’t know exactly how antibiotics pass through this armor.
“Polymikin is an important line of defense against gram-negative bacteria that cause many deadly drug-resistant infections,” a study by UCL biophysicist Bart Hoogenboom said in a statement. “It’s important to understand how they work.”
In a new study published September 29th in the journal Nature Microbiology, a team of researchers took images of antibiotics. Using a technique known as atomic power microscope, scientists passed small needles back and forth on top of the bacteria to draw the shape. This allowed us to see how the bacteria changed as polymyxin attacked.
Polymyxin was forced by E. coli to rapidly grow small bumps and protrusions on its outer membrane, the team found. As these bumps grew, the bacteria washed their armor and left gaps in the outer membrane where antibiotics could enter and kill cells.
“The images of bacteria show directly how well they can compromise on bacterial armor,” Borelli said. “This wall is destroyed and the antibiotic penetrates, as if the cells were forced to produce ‘bricks’ for the exterior wall at such a rate. ”
Importantly, polymikines can only target actively growing bacteria, rather than dormant. Bacteria can enter dormant state to deal with difficult conditions. They survive for years without eating, growing or breeding. Although dormant, bacteria cannot grow outer membrane armor, so antibiotics were unable to increase production in the same way as actively growing bacteria.
“Our next challenge is to use these findings to make antibiotics more effective,” says Hoogenboom. “One strategy might be to combine polymyxin therapy (intuitively counterintuitively) to promote armor production or to awaken “sleep” bacteria to eliminate these cells as well. ”
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice.
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