Antimicrobial resistance is a serious and growing problem for public health.  Over time, more and more types of bacteria have become resistant to known antibiotics making it very difficult to treat various kinds of infections. 

A new group of antibiotics with a unique approach to attacking bacteria has been discovered at McMaster University in Canada, representing a promising new clinical approach in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. 

The newly found corbomycin and the lesser-known complestatin have a never-before-seen way to kill bacteria, namely, breaking

the function of the bacterial cell wall. Bacteria

have a wall around the outside of their cells that gives them shape and is a

source of strength.  Antibiotics like penicillin kill bacteria by preventing building of

the wall, but the new antibiotics work by doing the opposite – they prevent the wall from

being broken down. Breaking down the cell wall is

critical for cells to divide. In order for bacteria to grow and spread, they need to expand and divide. By completely blocking the breakdown of the wall, it is as if the bacterium is trapped in a prison and can’t expand or grow. 

The researchers demonstrated in mice that these new antibiotics can

block infections caused by the drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus which is a

group of bacteria that can cause many serious infections. 

The researchers believe this new approach

can be applied to other antibiotics and lead to

the discovery of new ones with different mechanisms of action. This

study found one completely new antibiotic, but since then, they have found a

few others in the same family that have this same new mechanism. 

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Antibiotics discovered that kill bacteria in a new way

Photo, posted March 15, 2012, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.