Canadian scientists from the University of Toronto have synthesized a new form of antibiotics that attack drug-resistant bacteria. The study was published in the scientific publication Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (JMC).
The developed drugs act on a natural enzyme – the proteolytic subunit of caseinolytic protease (ClpP). It recycles old or defective proteins, ensuring normal functioning of the bacterium.
The new compound causes ClpP to uncontrollably devour any available proteins, destroying the bacterial cell.
According to scientists, they discovered ClpP while studying cancer tumors, and then found the same enzyme in microbes.
The team conducted a thorough analysis to find the structural differences between human and bacterial ClpP and make the drugs safe for the patient's body.
The researchers noted that their proposed approach to antibiotics has great potential for treating bacterial infections such as meningitis and gonorrhea.
