 |
|
New imagining technique could lead to better antibiotics and cancer drugs
November 10, 2009COLLEGE STATION - A recently devised method of imaging the chemical communication and warfare between microorganisms could lead to new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and anti-cancer drugs, said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist.
"Translating metabolic exchange with imaging mass spectrometry," was published Nov. 8 in Nature Chemical Biology, a prominent scientific journal. The article describes a technique developed by a collaborative team that includes Dr. Paul Straight, AgriLife Research scientist in the department of biochemistry and biophysics at Texas A&M University in College Station, Dr. Pieter Dorrestein, Yu-Liang Yang and Yuquan Xu, all at the University of California, San Diego.
"Microorganisms encode in their genomes the capacity to produce many small molecules that are potential new antibiotics," Straight said. "Because we do not understand the circumstances under which those molecules are produced in the environment, we see only a small fraction of them in the laboratory."
An example is the antibiotic erythromycin, which is often prescribed for people who are allergic to penicillin, Straight said.
"We know that Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the bacteria from which erythromycin is derived, encodes the capacity to produce numerous other small molecules that might be potentially valuable drugs," he said. "Conventional microbial culture and drug discovery techniques uncovered erythromycin. Other potentially useful metabolites may require some unconventional methods for identification."
Historically, medicinal drugs have been discovered serendipitously or by finding the active ingredient in homeopathic remedies, Straight said. For example, the use of blue mold for treating wounds was a folk remedy dates back to the Middle Ages. But scientists didn't isolate and purify the active ingredient, penicillin, until the early 20th century, which marks the beginning of the era of 'natural product' medicines originating from microorganisms.
Modern methods of drug discovery rely on screening technologies, knowledge of how infection is controlled and why diseases originate at the molecular level. Some new drugs can be designed accordingly from the ground up, often at significant cost, but serendipitous discovery of what nature has to offer is still a valid approach, he said.
Microorganisms, such as the bacteria that produces erythromycin, have been communicating and battling with each other for millennia using similar small molecules.
"What we learn about how microbes interact and exchange chemicals, and how the presence of one signaling molecule or antibiotic changes the output of potential antibiotics from a neighboring microbe, will guide us to new strategies for boosting the number of potential therapeutic drugs from any given bacteria," Straight said.
The National Institutes of Health recognizes the need to boost development of new drug compounds, he said.
"Globally, there is a shortage of new antibiotics that are being discovered by pharmaceutical companies in the traditional way and an ever-increasing number of multiple drug-resistant pathogens and newly emerging pathogens," Straight said.
The method of Straight, Dorrestein and colleagues employed an instrument called a "matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer." The device ionizes part of the sample with a laser beam while a crystalline matrix prevents the bio-molecules from being destroyed.
The plate upon which the bio sample sits is moved during the scan, from which hundreds to thousands of spectra are collected. The data is then processed as a grid and rendered as false-color by computer, then overlaid on a visual image of the sample.
Straight, Dorrestein and colleagues used two common bacteria that are cultured in the laboratory for their tests, Bacillus subtilis and Steptomyces coelicolor, both commonly found in soils. The bacteria were cultured together and their complex chemical interaction recorded using the mass spectrometer.
In competition for resources, the bacteria produced small molecules that alter antibiotic production from patterns present when cultured separately, Straight said. For example, they found that production of an antibiotic that targets Gram-positive organisms (Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are examples of Gram-positive organsims) was inhibited in one bacteria by the other.
The data reveal the chemical complexity of interspecies encounters. Using genetic sequencing, the researchers found that bacteria may dedicate up to 20 percent of their DNA to the bio-synthesis of small molecules in their communications and chemical battles with other microorganisms.
Texas A&M University
An example is the antibiotic erythromycin, which is often prescribed for people who are allergic to penicillin, Straight said.
"We know that Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the bacteria from which erythromycin is derived, encodes the capacity to produce numerous other small molecules that might be potentially valuable drugs," he said. "Conventional microbial culture and drug discovery techniques uncovered erythromycin. Other potentially useful metabolites may require some unconventional methods for identification."
Historically, medicinal drugs have been discovered serendipitously or by finding the active ingredient in homeopathic remedies, Straight said. For example, the use of blue mold for treating wounds was a folk remedy dates back to the Middle Ages. But scientists didn't isolate and purify the active ingredient, penicillin, until the early 20th century, which marks the beginning of the era of 'natural product' medicines originating from microorganisms.
Modern methods of drug discovery rely on screening technologies, knowledge of how infection is controlled and why diseases originate at the molecular level. Some new drugs can be designed accordingly from the ground up, often at significant cost, but serendipitous discovery of what nature has to offer is still a valid approach, he said.
Microorganisms, such as the bacteria that produces erythromycin, have been communicating and battling with each other for millennia using similar small molecules.
"What we learn about how microbes interact and exchange chemicals, and how the presence of one signaling molecule or antibiotic changes the output of potential antibiotics from a neighboring microbe, will guide us to new strategies for boosting the number of potential therapeutic drugs from any given bacteria," Straight said.
The National Institutes of Health recognizes the need to boost development of new drug compounds, he said.
"Globally, there is a shortage of new antibiotics that are being discovered by pharmaceutical companies in the traditional way and an ever-increasing number of multiple drug-resistant pathogens and newly emerging pathogens," Straight said.
The method of Straight, Dorrestein and colleagues employed an instrument called a "matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer." The device ionizes part of the sample with a laser beam while a crystalline matrix prevents the bio-molecules from being destroyed.
The plate upon which the bio sample sits is moved during the scan, from which hundreds to thousands of spectra are collected. The data is then processed as a grid and rendered as false-color by computer, then overlaid on a visual image of the sample.
Straight, Dorrestein and colleagues used two common bacteria that are cultured in the laboratory for their tests, Bacillus subtilis and Steptomyces coelicolor, both commonly found in soils. The bacteria were cultured together and their complex chemical interaction recorded using the mass spectrometer.
In competition for resources, the bacteria produced small molecules that alter antibiotic production from patterns present when cultured separately, Straight said. For example, they found that production of an antibiotic that targets Gram-positive organisms (Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are examples of Gram-positive organsims) was inhibited in one bacteria by the other.
The data reveal the chemical complexity of interspecies encounters. Using genetic sequencing, the researchers found that bacteria may dedicate up to 20 percent of their DNA to the bio-synthesis of small molecules in their communications and chemical battles with other microorganisms.
Texas A&M University
Antibiotics Current Events and Antibiotics News RSSA Second Skin
Despite advances in treatment regimens and the best efforts of nurses and doctors, about 70% of all people with severe burns die from related infections.
Study reveals why certain drug combinations backfire
Combination drug therapy has become a staple for treating many infections. For instance, doctors treat extensively drug resistant forms of tuberculosis with one drug that breaks down the pathogen's protective barriers and opens the door for another to deliver the deathblow.
UCLA researchers reconstitute enzyme that synthesizes cholesterol drug lovastatin
Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin.
Progress made on group B streptococcus vaccine
Scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have completed a Phase II clinical study that indicates a vaccine to prevent Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is possible.
Henry Ford Hospital study: A MRSA strain linked to high death rates
A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
Bacteria 'launch a shield' to resist attack
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark along with other collaborators in Denmark and the US found that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can 'switch on' production of molecules that kill white blood cells - preventing the bacteria being eliminated by the body's immune system.
Pumpkin skin may scare away germs
The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year.
Deadly stomach infection rising in community settings, Mayo Clinic study finds
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile is on the rise in outpatient settings.
New clinical guidelines for exacerbations in cystic fibrosis
The American Thoracic Society has released new clinical guidelines for the treatment of exacerbations in cystic fibrosis based on a review of the literature on current clinical practices.
Eating right, not supplements, is best at keeping your good bacteria healthy, dietitian says
Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy, says a dietitian and researcher.
More Antibiotics Current Events and Antibiotics News Articles
 |
Antibiotics Simplified by Jason Gallagher (Author) Antibiotics Simplified is a succinct guide designed to bridge knowledge gained in basic sciences courses with clinical practice in infectious diseases. Introductory chapters explain the rationale behind the treatment of infectious diseases, describe a system for selecting antimicrobial agents and briefly review basic microbiology. Later chapters present relevant characteristics of drug classes, emphasizing clinical "pearls" for individual agents, and also include content on antifungals. The concise nature of the text allows for emphasis on key points, allowing readers to extract the most important characteristics of anti-infective drugs from the larger mass of material that they learn from detailed pharmacology textbooks. This is an ideal handbook for students as well as practicing... |
 |
Fish Mox (Amoxicillin 250 mg) - 100 Caps by THOMAS LABS Fish-Mox exerts a bactericidal action on gram positive and some gram negative bacteria. Useful for control of some common bacterial diseases of fish including aeromonas and pseudomonas genera and mysobacterial group (gill diseases, chondrococcus). Add contents of one capsule (250 mg) into aquarium for each 10 gallons of water to be treated. Repeat in 24 hours. It is suggested that a partial water change be made between treatments. While duration of treatment depends on type and severity of infection, it is recommended that extended medication baths continue for a minimum of 5 days & for not more than 10 days. Discontinue treatment if no improvement is noted within 5 days. To remove harmless yellow color, change 20% of water and use charcoal filter until clear. |
 |
Antibiotics Pocketcard 2009 by H. Hof (Author) Antibiotics pocketcard provides an initial choice of antimicrobial therapy for most common infections. These empirical therapies cover more than 90% of everyday scenarios. The reverse side of this durable plastic card shows a table of antimicrobial spectra for the most important antibiotics. **2009 edition, completely updated! **Initial choice of antimicrobials for: CNS, heart, blood, gastrointestinal tract, bones/joints, urogenital tract, eye, ENT, skin/soft tissue diseases, fever of unknown origin. **Antimicrobial agents against selected bacteria, e.g. streptococci, staphylococci. |
 |
First Aid Only Triple Antibiotic Ointment Pack, 0.5 Gram, 25-Count Boxes (Pack of 3) by First Aid Only Use this triple antibiotic ointment pack to treat all kinds of minor cuts, burns and abrasions. Helps prevent infection while it promotes healing. May be applied 2 to 3 times daily as the condition indicates. Active ingredients: neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates and bacitracin zinc ointment USP. |
 |
Antibiotic Essentials 2009 by Burke Cunha MD (Author) Antibiotic Essentials is a concise, practical, and authoritative guide to the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases commonly encountered in adults. It covers 542 clinical infectious disease syndromes, HIV infection, 134 detailed drug summaries, pediatric infectious diseases, and a chest x-ray atlas. Topics include: Empiric Therapy Based on Clinical Syndrome; Initial Therapy Based on Isolates; Pending Susceptibility Testing; HIV Infection; Fungi, Parasites, Unusual Organisms; Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Immunizations; Drug Summaries |
 |
Fish Flex Cephalexin - 250 mg 100 capsules by THOMAS LABS Fish-Flex is for use in aquariums for treatment of bacterial activity. Add contents of one capsule (250 mg) into aquarium for each 10 gallons of water to be treated. Repeat in 24 hours. It is suggested that a partial water change be made between treatments. While duration of treatment depends on type and severity of infection, it is recommended that extended medication baths continue for a minimum of 5 days & for not more than 10 days. Discontinue treatment if no improvement is noted within 5 days. |
 |
Antibiotic Basics for Clinicians: Choosing the Right Antibacterial Agent (Point (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)) by Alan R Hauser (Author) Designed for quick, easy comprehension, this handbook reference will assist medical students in understanding the rationale behind antibiotic selection for common bacterial pathogens and infectious disease presentations. By supplying the rationale for choosing antibiotics, the book reduces the amount of memorization necessary for proper antibiotic prescribing. The book is heavily illustrated with two-color figures and includes fact-anecdotes, interesting ancillary information, mnemonics, and questions to test understanding. Appendices include dosing in adults and children; antibacterial agents in pregnancy; generic and trade names of commonly used antibacterial agents; and treatment of infections caused by bacterial agents of bioterrorism. |
 |
Antibiotics: Actions, Origins, Resistance by Christopher Walsh (Author) Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Text analyzes how small molecules interfere selectively with the processes central to the survival of bacterial cells. Focuses on the relatively few molecules in antibiotics having an impact on human infectious disease. DNLM: Antibiotics--pharmacology. |
 |
Neosporin Plus Pain Relief First Aid Antibiotic/Pain Relieving Cream, Maximum Strength 0.5-Ounce Tubes (Pack of 4) by Neosporin This first-aid antibiotic and pain relief cream helps soothe painful cuts, scrapes and burns while preventing infection. Contains neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B sulfate, and pramoxine HCI. Maximum strength pain relief formula. Doctor-recommended brand. |
 |
Fish Mox Forte 500 mg x 100 ct by THOMAS LABS Fish-Mox Forte (Amoxicillin) exerts a bacterial action on gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |