Prevent gene exchange bacteria: A smart solution for drug resistance

Scientists at the University of Montreal have developed a revolutionary technique in the fight against drug-resistant viruses by coding genes.

The ability in bacteria and, is a serious and recognized problem globally. In fact, this issue has reached a crisis level nearly a year ago according to data from the United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) also claims that drug resistance is getting worse. And recent research has sparked a new hope for the health industry.

The study was published in Scientific Reports in early November. A group of scientists from the UdeM Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine have discovered a method that can prevent antibiotic resistance gene transfer. between generations. They focused on blocking mechanisms that allow coding antibiotic resistance genes into plasmids - these pieces of DNA can carry genes that encode proteins that help potentially dangerous bacteria.

Specifically, the researchers found the exact binding sites of proteins - this is extremely important during plasmid transmission. Since then, researchers have created stronger chemical molecules that reduce the ability to transmit plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance genes.

Disable the drug resistance of bacteria.(Photo: Kateryna Kon).

"This study can find weaknesses on a target protein, destroy it so it can't work. Other plasmids have similar proteins, some have other proteins, but the value of the study. In that sense, by knowing the molecular structure of these proteins, we can provide a way to inhibit their function , 'said Christian Baron, R&D vice president at UdeM's Department of Medicine.

The antibiotic resistance of bacteria causes a lot of bad effects. Antibiotics are still an important part of modern medicine, and when they become ineffective, we have a lot of difficulties in treating and controlling viral diseases. Antibiotics are also used as a preventive treatment in surgery as well as in cancer treatment.

According to a special commission report established in the UK in 2014 called 'Review on Antimicrobia Resistance', resistant bacteria can take away the lives of about 10 million people by 2050.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 2 million people get sick each year from this dangerous bacterium, including at least 23,000 deaths. In addition, WHO also said that each year, about 480,000 cases of tuberculosis in the world with many drugs.

Antibiotic resistance is a problem that requires resolution as soon as possible, starting now. Thankfully, there are many research teams working to solve the problem by offering many different approaches. Some use CRISPR gene editing technology to create synthetic nano robots, specifically targeting the elimination of resistant bacteria. Even some scientists have tried to use "super enzymes" to fight viruses.

Meanwhile, other scientists like UdeM's research group are focusing their energy to fully understand how bacteria work. From there, they developed methods to make them more vulnerable to exposure to antibiotics.

CDC has invested more than $ 14 million to study antibiotic resistance, and we may soon see these efforts bring results. The research process will obviously take a long time, but it can speed up the production of new drugs.

'People should have hope. Science will bring new ideas and new solutions to this problem. The motivation for researchers to find a method to resolve drug resistance is very strong. I am not entirely sure of the possibility of research success, but clearly we are creating change, which is accelerating progress , "said Baron researcher optimist.