Promising target identified for tailored antibiotics

A promising target to a new class of antibiotics has been discovered by researchers at the Technische Universität München (TUM).

The finding is expected to have implications to tackle bacterial stems developing resistance to previously considered life-saving antibiotics.

From Sciencedaily.com:

The cells of virtually all life forms synthesize essential natural substances belonging to the class of terpenes and steroids from the small isoprene building blocks dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Mammals and a large number of other organisms generate these essential metabolites via the so-called mevalonate pathway. But most human pathogens, including Plasmodium falciparum, have developed an alternate mechanism for producing these important substances. Now, this special pathway may spell doom for those bacteria. The TUM researchers have unraveled the structural basis of the terminal step in bacterial isoprene synthesis. The crucial enzyme has a most unusual structure, similar to a three-leaf clover, and may open a forceful line of attack for custom-tailored antibiotics.

The structural basis for new reaction steps important to micro-organisms but playing no relevant role among humans was described in detail by Professor Michael Groll, Dr. Jörg Eppinger and Dr. Tobias Gräwert, biochemists at the Technische Universität München, and their team of researchers.

The results were presented in an issue of the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

Tags: antibiotics, bacterial stems, Steroids

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