Antibiotics are what we use to treat various bacterial infections. But sometimes, antibiotics may be rendered ineffective when bacteria develop antimicrobial resistance and become resistant to these antibiotics. This phenomenon can be really dangerous, as the bacteria will continue to multiply and cause more harm. Thankfully, a new group of antibiotics, which could prove to be a promising candidate in fighting against antimicrobial resistance, has been discovered.
The newly-found corbomycin and the lesser-known complestatin have a never-before-seen way to kill bacteria, which is achieved by blocking the function of the bacterial cell wall. The discovery comes from a family of antibiotics called glycopeptides that are produced by soil bacteria.
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"Antibiotics like penicillin kill bacteria by preventing building of the wall, but the antibiotics that we found actually work by doing the opposite -- they prevent the wall from being broken down. This is critical for cell to divide.
"In order for a cell to grow, it has to divide and expand. If you completely block the breakdown of the wall, it is like it is trapped in a prison, and can't expand or grow."
Wow!
(Image Credit: Pixabay)