In a press release on December 3, 2009, the Biological and Biotechnology Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) announced that research scientists at the UK John Innes Centre (JIC), a world leading independent research organisation in the study of plant and microbial sciences, plan to publish the results of their research into soil bacteria in Science. Experts are hopeful that they may have unearthed a new way of beating bacteria, that could revolutionise the way antibiotics function in the treatment of infectious diseases.
New Drug Potential
Scientists have shown that it is possible to create an antibiotic that can be targeted to a well-established enzyme (proteins produced by living organisms) in a new and surprising way. Experts believe that this could inspire the design of a new strain of more potent antibacterial drugs, without the risk of antibacterial resistance that has plagued so many antibiotic drug tretments in the past.
"If you can knock out this enzyme, you have a potential new drug," says Professor Tony Maxwell, the lead author of the research team from JIC.
The researchers, who study how microorganisms work at the molecular, cellular and genetic level, are extremely excited by this latest discovery.
"A completely new way to beat bacteria is an exciting find at a time when resistance to existing antibiotics is growing, said Professor Maxwell. .
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