Superbug-shielding protein ‘unmasked’

Australian scientists have mapped the molecular structure of a protein that shields superbugs from antibiotics, reports BBC for Sydney.
It could help develop new drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains, the University of Western Australia researchers said. The protein, EptA, allows some strains to shrug off colistin, an antibiotic used when all other treatments fail.
It follows warnings that a so-called antibiotic apocalypse could be among the 21st Century’s greatest threats. The new research could help create treatments to inhibit the masking protein, according to lead researcher Professor Alice Vrielink. “We can think about the protein as being like a lock of a door and it has a specific shape,” said Prof Vrielink, a molecular biologist.
“If we know the three-dimensional shape, we can get an idea of what the key should look like.” The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and involved several other universities and organisations.

Superbug-shielding protein unmasked

Australian scientists have mapped the molecular structure of a protein that shields superbugs from antibiotics, reports BBC for Sydney. It could help develop new drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains, the University of Western Australia researchers said. The protein, EptA, allows some strains to shrug off colistin, an antibiotic used when all other treatments fail. It follows warnings that a so-called antibiotic apocalypse could be among the 21st Centurys greatest threats. The new research could help create treatments to inhibit the masking protein, according to lead researcher Professor Alice Vrielink. We can think about the protein as being like a lock of a door and it has a specific shape, said Prof Vrielink, a molecular biologist. If we know the three-dimensional shape, we can get an idea of what the key should look like. The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and involved several other universities and organisations.