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Gregory Tew, a polymer scientist at UMass, along with scientists at the
‘This newly designed molecule inserts into the cell wall of bacteria and changes its curvature,’ said Tew in a statement. ‘Instead of forming stable membranes, cells treated with the new antibiotic have increased curvature which makes a hole form in the wall, killing the cell.’
Finding new ways to kill bacteria is important as bacteria changes and develops resistances to previous antibiotics. Penicillin, for example, was once used to cure pneumonia, but now has little effect. New antibiotics are being used, but even those are becoming less effective.
‘Understanding the details of how this antibiotic works is essential for expanding our tools for fighting infectious diseases,’ said Tew.
Karen Lienkamp, a post-doctoral researcher working with Tew, said the compound may find use in hospitals with instruments that have long-term contact with the body, like catheters.
These instruments are prime places for drug-resistant bacteria to develop, particularly the deadly MRSA bacteria. According to the CDC, MRSA causes 100,000 deaths every year, with $510 billion spent yearly on treatment.
However, Lienkamp says it’s difficult to get poly materials, like the one they have developed, approved by the FDA, so it may be a while before the compound comes into use.
The new compound is unique in its targeting of phosphoethanolamine (PE) molecules. These are fat molecules found in the cell membranes of bacteria. The compound has potential to work in the human body because Tew says while bacteria membranes are rich in PE molecules, human cells are not.
Traditional antibiotics work by attacking other parts of the cell, like ribosomes, but have the traditional problem of bacteria developing resistances.
Ben Williams can be reached at bwilliams@dailycollegian.com.
