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Researchers from Ben-Gurion University (BGU), together with American and German colleagues, have developed new molecular tweezers to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Their recently announced findings were published in Cell Chemical Biology.
For years, medical professionals have struggled with bacterial infections becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. These molecular tweezers may be the key to battling one of greatest public health issues of the 21st century. Our discovery prevents infection without building up antibiotic resistance, and it might even be preferable to develop treatments based on molecular tweezers rather than antibiotics, said BGU Department of Chemistry Prof. Raz Jelinek.
The research team, led by Prof. Jelinek and his Ph.D. student Ravit Malishev, tested their molecular tweezers on the Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) bacteria. In the U.S. staph infections have an estimated mortality rate of over 25%, and 40% for drug-resistant strai
New molecular tweezers can help combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University (BGU), together with American and German colleagues, have developed new molecular tweezers to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Their recently announced findings were published in
Cell Chemical Biology.
For years, medical professionals have struggled with bacterial infections becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. These molecular tweezers may be the key to battling one of greatest public health issues of the 21st century.
Our discovery prevents infection without building up antibiotic resistance, and it might even be preferable to develop treatments based on molecular tweezers rather than antibiotics.
Raz Jelinek, Professor, Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University (BGU)
Credit: Dani Machlis/BGU
BEER-SHEVA, Israel May 10, 2021 - Researchers from Ben-Gurion University (BGU), together with American and German colleagues, have developed new molecular tweezers to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Their recently announced findings were published in
Cell Chemical Biology.
For years, medical professionals have struggled with bacterial infections becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. These molecular tweezers may be the key to battling one of greatest public health issues of the 21st century. Our discovery prevents infection without building up antibiotic resistance, and it might even be preferable to develop treatments based on molecular tweezers rather than antibiotics, said BGU Department of Chemistry Prof. Raz Jelinek.
Molecular tweezers take on antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Breakthrough technology allows immune system to prevent infection, presenting a better treatment option than antibiotics.
Prof. Raz Jelinek, left, and his PhD student Ravit Malishev. Photo by Dani Machlis/BGU
Scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheva, along with American and German colleagues, have developed “molecular tweezers” to destroy the biofilm that surrounds and protects antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the body.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs like bacteria or fungi develop the ability to defeat medicines designed to kill them. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant germs are difficult, and sometimes even impossible, to treat.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria inside a biofilm (Dr Microbe via iStock by Getty Images)
Israeli scientists have developed tiny “tweezers” capable of breaking down defenses that bacteria build to survive the human immune system.
In a bid to stay alive and reproduce in humans, bacteria construct biofilms shields to protect themselves against the immune system that is programmed to try to destroy them.
Such protection helps many infection-causing bacteria survive. It’s also the mechanism that bacteria use to live in our mouths part of dental plaque is a biofilm that helps bacteria survive underneath despite our toothbrushing. Biofilms are also grown by bacteria in plants, animals and other environments.