Researchers
have discovered a surprising tactic of pathogenic bacteria when being attacked
by antibiotics: hibernation.
Almost all pathogenic bacteria develop a small number of
antibiotic-tolerant variants. This means that a significant fraction of
bacteria survive courses of antibiotics.
While it is no secret that pathogenic bacteria are able to
develop antibiotic resistant variants, a less well-appreciated fact is that a
small number of bacteria, including some of nature's nastiest pathogens, can
resist antibiotics and escape antibiotic treatments without relying on
variants.
How's that? Researchers at the University of Copenhagen now have
an answer. They have found examples of a small portion of pathogenic bacteria
hiding out in a dormant, hibernation-like state, until the danger posed to them
by antibiotics passes. When safe, they awaken and resume their regular
functions.
The bacterium's stop growth mechanism
Antibiotics usually target a bacteria cell's ability to grow,
which means that a hibernating bacterium is exempt from attack.
"A bacterium in hibernation is not resistant. It is
temporarily tolerant because it stops growing, which allows it to survive the
effects of an antibiotic," says Professor Gerdes.
Genetically, hibernating bacteria share the same characteristics
as other bacteria in a given population, an E. coli population for example. So,
for now, there are no clear rules as to why certain bacteria survive
antibiotics by going dormant while others do not.
The researchers used a new method to study what happens in the
disease-causing cells that go dormant and hide in the body.
Enzyme catalyzes hibernation
The researchers found an enzyme in dormant bacteria that is
responsible for catalyzing hibernation, which allows the bacteria to avoid
being attacked.
"The discovery of this enzyme is a good foundation for the
future development of a substance capable of combatting dormant bacteria
cells," says Professor Gerdes.
The road ahead will not be easy and will require many years of
hard work, expertise and research funding to develop new antibiotics. For
Gerdes, it obvious that Denmark ought to play a leading role in this area of
research.
The enzyme triggers a 'survival program' that
almost all disease-causing bacteria deploy to survive in the wild and resist
antibiotics in the body. Developing an antibiotic that targets this general
programme would be a major advance.
Source: University
of Copenhagen
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