(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jerry Barach
jerryb@savion.huji.ac.il
972-258-82904
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria
Work can lead to improved therapies in the future
Jerusalem, Dec. 29, 2013 – The mechanism by which some bacteria are able to survive antibacterial treatment has been revealed for the first time by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers. Their work could pave the way for new ways to control such bacteria.
In addition to the known phenomenon by which some bacteria achieve resistance to antibiotics through mutation, there are other types of bacteria, known as "persistent bacteria," which are not resistant to the antibiotics but simply continue to exist in a dormant or inactive state while exposed to antibacterial treatment. These bacteria later "awaken" when that treatment is over, resuming their detrimental tasks, presenting a dilemma as to how to deal with them.
Until now, it had been known that there is a connection between these kind of bacteria and the naturally occurring toxin HipA in the bacteria, but scientists did not know the cellular target of this toxin and how its activity triggers dormancy of the bacteria.
Now, the Hebrew University researchers, led by Prof. Gadi Glaser of the Faculty of Medicine and Prof. Nathalie Balaban of the Racah Institute of Physics, have been able to demonstrate how this comes about. Their research showed that when antibiotics attack these bacteria, the HipA toxin disrupts the chemical "messaging" process necessary for nutrients to build proteins. This is interpreted by the bacteria as a "hunger signal" and sends them into an inactive state, (dormancy) in which they are able to survive until the antibacterial treatment is over and they can resume their harmful activity.
The research on persistent bacteria has been conducted in Prof. Balaban's lab for several years, focusing on the development of a biophysical understanding of the phenomenon. It will be combined with other work being done in Prof. Glaser's laboratory focusing on combating persistent bacteria, in the hope of leading to more effective treatment for bacterial infections.
INFORMATION:
Working on the project in Prof. Glaser's lab were doctoral student Ilana Kaspy and in the lab of Prof. Balaban by doctoral students Eitan Rotem and Noga Weiss and Dr. Irine Ronin.
Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria
Work can lead to improved therapies in the future
2013-12-30
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Nicotine exploits COPI to foster addiction
2013-12-30
Nicotine exploits COPI to foster addiction
New innovation by NUS researchers enhances information storage in electronics
2013-12-30
New innovation by NUS researchers enhances information storage in electronics
Innovative Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory technology enables bigger and longer lasting memory in electronic systems
A team of researchers from the Department of Electrical & ...
Meloidogyne mali: A new invasive plant parasitic nematode in Europe
2013-12-30
Meloidogyne mali: A new invasive plant parasitic nematode in Europe
Following its recent synonymisation with Meloidogyne ulmi, a species known to parasitize elm trees in Europe, it has become clear that M. mali has been in the Netherlands for more than fifty years.
Evidences ...
Alcohol leaves its mark on youngsters' DNA
2013-12-30
Alcohol leaves its mark on youngsters' DNA
A preliminary study led by a UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country researcher in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Nayarit, in Mexico, indicates that weekend alcohol consumption may affect DNA
This news release ...
Researchers say fructose does not impact emerging indicator for cardiovascular disease
2013-12-30
Researchers say fructose does not impact emerging indicator for cardiovascular disease
However, overconsumption of calories from fructose can have substantial adverse effects on health
TORONTO, Dec. 30, 2013—Fructose, the sugar often blamed for the obesity ...
Testosterone in male songbirds may enhance desire to sing but not song quality
2013-12-30
Testosterone in male songbirds may enhance desire to sing but not song quality
For the male canary, the ability to sing a pitch-perfect song is critical to wooing female canaries. As the seasons change, so does song quality and frequency. The hormone testosterone ...
Study identifies potential new strategy to improve odds of corneal transplant acceptance
2013-12-30
Study identifies potential new strategy to improve odds of corneal transplant acceptance
DALLAS – Dec. 30, 2013 – For the estimated 10 percent of patients whose bodies reject a corneal transplant, the odds of a second transplant succeeding ...
Plan to delist gray wolf endangers other threatened species, researchers find
2013-12-30
Plan to delist gray wolf endangers other threatened species, researchers find
Scientists say proposal to end wolf protection across US disregards science, history, threats
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The federal government's proposal to discontinue protection for the gray ...
Tell me your barcode, and I will tell you what palm you are
2013-12-30
Tell me your barcode, and I will tell you what palm you are
Reliable and cost-effective species recognition is the dream of many scientists, and has important applications. While the use of morphological features is often uncertain, and can lead to misidentification, species ...
The value of museum collections for development of DNA barcode libraries
2013-12-30
The value of museum collections for development of DNA barcode libraries
The ability to sequence the DNA of plants and animals has revolutionized many areas of biology, but the unstable character of DNA poses difficulties for sequencing specimens in museum collection ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?
Pink skies
Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research
Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered
% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?
An app can change how you see yourself at work
NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals
New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China
Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds
Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea
New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea
Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes
Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others
Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke
Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition
Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life
Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy
Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming
Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly
Alcohol makes male flies sexy
TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income
Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs
AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders
First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes
Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows
Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission
UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages
In pancreatic cancer, a race against time
[Press-News.org] Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteriaWork can lead to improved therapies in the future