The discovery was made by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University and University of Bonn. The newly discovered group of molecules, called THCz, has antibacterial activity against many antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The majority of antibiotics today, such as penicillin, work by inhibiting enzymes that bacteria need to form a protective cell wall so they don’t rupture. Newer antibiotics instead bind to a specific lipid molecule,
“Lipid II is a very attractive target for new antibiotics. We have identified the first small antibacterial substance that works by binding to this lipid molecule, and in our study we did not find any resistant bacterial mutants which is very promising,” says Professor Birgitta Henrik Normark. at Karolinska Institutet according to one press release.
The discovery of THCz could lead to the development of new antibiotics effective against, among others, pneumonia, gonorrhea and tuberculosis. So far, no bacteria that are resistant to THCz have been found, and attempts are now being made to alter the molecule so that it can bite into bacteria that are particularly difficult to treat and are multi-resistant.
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