Fresh understanding of how antibiotics work could lead to new treatments
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have been involved in a major new study
Last updated 26th Oct 2021
Scientists at the University of Sheffield are among researchers who've discovered the exact way some antibiotics target bugs.
It could pave the way for new treatments against bacteria that's resistant to antibiotics currently used in medicine.
Previously, it was known that a certain type of antibiotic, including penicillin, worked by preventing growth of a cell wall.
But exactly how the cell was killed was previously unknown, despite antibiotics being a central part of healthcare around the world.
Now, an international team of experts led by the University of Sheffield have discovered these type of antibiotics kill the superbug MRSA by creating holes in the cell wall.
These then enlarge as the call grows, eventually killing the bacteria.
Professor Simon Foster, from the University of Sheffield'sSchool of Biosciences, said: "Penicillin and other antibiotics in its class have been a centrepiece of human healthcare for over 80 years and have saved over 200 million lives. However, their use is severely threatened by the global spread of antimicrobial resistance.
"Concentrating on the superbug MRSA, our research revealed that the antibiotics lead to the formation of small holes that span the cell wall that gradually enlarge as part of growth-associated processes, eventually killing the bacteria.
"We also identified some of the enzymes that are involved in making the holes.
"Our findings get to the heart of understanding how existing antibiotics work and give us new avenues for further treatment developments in the face of the global pandemic of antimicrobial resistance."