Targeting this defence mechanism could aid efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the world’s most urgent health challenges, researchers say.
Findings from the study reveal how a repair system inside some bacteria plays a pivotal role in helping them survive commonly-used antibiotics.
Drug target
Many of these drugs work by targeting the production of proteins essential for bacterial growth and survival.
Now, Edinburgh researchers have identified new drug targets within a special repair system possessed by certain bacteria, known as Rtc, which enables them to counteract the effects of these antibiotics.
Rtc acts to repair a bacteria’s damaged RNA, the molecule essential for translating genetic information held in DNA into functional proteins inside cells, allowing it to maintain protein production and growth even in the presence of antibiotics, the team says.
Resistant bacteria
A key finding of the work was that bacterial responses to antibiotics can be unpredictable, as the expression of the Rtc repair system varies from cell to cell.
This could explain why some infections are so difficult to treat, as some bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment better than others, the team says.
Tailored treatments
Researchers made the discovery using a combination of computer models and lab experiments involving E. coli, which is known to develop resistance to antibiotics.
Their findings suggest that tailoring treatments to target key components of the Rtc repair system could improve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, making them more capable of eradicating infections.
The study not only highlights the complexity of bacterial survival strategies but also opens new avenues for the development of therapies that are more effective at tackling AMR, the team says.