Spring Break
Bacterial antibiotic resistance genes discovered
Issue date: 11/5/09
Antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer and antibiotics are all substances that we use in an attempt to kill bacteria that might make us sick.Whether we are concerned about getting strep throat, bacterial meningitis or something else, these prevention methods can offer protection.
However, some bacteria, such as those that cause Staph and MRSA infections, are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Since the 1930s, researchers have been aware that bacteria may be able to resist treatment because they can morph into the L-form, or bacteria lacking cell walls.
Until the 1980s, not much else could be known about the L-form, but now, researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health have used a wide variety of modern molecular tools to learn more about the origin and biological functions of the L-form bacteria.
Ying Zhang, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Bloomberg, is the senior author of the study, which was published in PLoS ONE last month.
Not all bacteria can transform into the L-form, but those that can include Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Treponema pallidum (syphilis), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis), Heliobacter pylori (stomach ulcers and cancer), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) and Escherichia coli (food poisoning). Zhang's team used E. coli to create a culture of L-form bacteria.
Although it had been difficult to culture L-form bacteria before, Zhang and his team created a new method that more closely simulated the in vivo conditions in which these bacteria form.
"The presence of antibiotic stress is cell wall inhibiting, like penicillin," Zhang said. To prevent the cells from bursting because of this increased stress, Zhang's team added sucrose to the cell media.
This culture represented the mechanism that occurs in the body. "L forms are formed in response to stress," Zhang said. "They have a different mode of survival and replication from classical bacteria." The cell wall-deficient bacteria cluster together in the shape of a fried egg rather than the smooth, homogeneous appearance of wild-type bacteria cultures.
However, some bacteria, such as those that cause Staph and MRSA infections, are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Since the 1930s, researchers have been aware that bacteria may be able to resist treatment because they can morph into the L-form, or bacteria lacking cell walls.
Until the 1980s, not much else could be known about the L-form, but now, researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health have used a wide variety of modern molecular tools to learn more about the origin and biological functions of the L-form bacteria.
Ying Zhang, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Bloomberg, is the senior author of the study, which was published in PLoS ONE last month.
Not all bacteria can transform into the L-form, but those that can include Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Treponema pallidum (syphilis), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis), Heliobacter pylori (stomach ulcers and cancer), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) and Escherichia coli (food poisoning). Zhang's team used E. coli to create a culture of L-form bacteria.
Although it had been difficult to culture L-form bacteria before, Zhang and his team created a new method that more closely simulated the in vivo conditions in which these bacteria form.
"The presence of antibiotic stress is cell wall inhibiting, like penicillin," Zhang said. To prevent the cells from bursting because of this increased stress, Zhang's team added sucrose to the cell media.
This culture represented the mechanism that occurs in the body. "L forms are formed in response to stress," Zhang said. "They have a different mode of survival and replication from classical bacteria." The cell wall-deficient bacteria cluster together in the shape of a fried egg rather than the smooth, homogeneous appearance of wild-type bacteria cultures.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 14
Dr Kadiyali M Srivatsa
posted 11/07/09 @ 1:17 AM EST
Interesting, because this finding and observation teaches us more about surviving.
Since Antibiotic was discovered in 1940s, we were made to believe science has all the answers to help us survive on this earth for ever. (Continued…)
Robin
posted 11/07/09 @ 12:01 PM EST
Yes ! Thank you for your research - and I hope they are able to develop the new Antibiotics to the L-form bacteria rapidly !
Phyllis Mervine, CALDA
posted 11/07/09 @ 9:24 PM EST
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is one of the bacteria in which ability to transform into L-forms has been reported.
The severely restrictive Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) diagnostic and treatment guidelines for Lyme disease limit treatment to 3 weeks. (Continued…)
Elizabeth L. Maloney, MD
posted 11/07/09 @ 11:08 PM EST
How gratifying it is to see that reporter Aleena Lakhanpal includes Borrelia burgdorferi in the list of bacteria which can transform into an L-form. Perhaps someone should notify Dr. (Continued…)
Beverly Baker
posted 11/08/09 @ 7:28 AM EST
A little good news for the Lyme community this Sunday Morning, hopefully now Doctors will be made aware so they will understand that Lyme is persistent and difficult to treat and yes chronic Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi) exists in L form. (Continued…)
Margaret Mueller
posted 11/08/09 @ 11:02 AM EST
For those of us being treated with antibiotics for our scleroderma, lyme, lupus, etc. this is only exciting news because, finally, someone besides our doctors will support the treatment of these autoimmune diseases with antibiotics. (Continued…)
Rod Bowley
posted 11/08/09 @ 4:10 PM EST
God Bless you and your team! I never in my best day ever thought I would live long enough to see the stop of the spread of Lyme disease.
Again, God bless you and all of your associates. (Continued…)
Robert R. Tucci
posted 11/08/09 @ 10:09 PM EST
Thank you professor Zhang. God Bless you.
This work will finally lead the medical community to celebrate Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown as the father of modern rheumatology, the man who elevated rheumatology from witch-doctoring to a science. (Continued…)
Dan Crabtree
posted 11/09/09 @ 12:08 PM EST
Dr. Zhangs research and conclusions are a ray of light and reason in what has been a very dark hole. Hopefully his findings, and in particular his team's accomplishment in successfully culturing L-form bacteria, will lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment of many forms of chronic, bacterialogical maladies. (Continued…)
Ralph Emerson Brubaker Jr
posted 11/09/09 @ 1:14 PM EST
I am a Marine and have been sick (with Lyme disease) now for almost 4 years. I can only hope that this article is accepted by our military doctors. The battle is not over; we need to convince doctors that this illness causes severe disability. (Continued…)
Post a Comment