Scientist uncovers roots of antibiotic resistance
By understanding how mutations occur, researchers can better understand
and develop therapeutics to combat resistant infections

Date:
May 5, 2023
Source:
University of Central Florida
Summary:
Microbiologists have uncovered the evolutionary origins of
antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria. His studies on the
bacterium that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae, provide insight
into deciphering what conditions must occur for infectious agents
to become resistant. He studied genetic variants of a protein
found in bacterial membranes called OmpU. Using computational and
molecular approaches, his team found that several OmpU mutations in
the cholera bacteria led to resistance to numerous antimicrobial
agents. This resistance included antimicrobial peptides that act
as defenses in the human gut.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Bacteria naturally adapt to various environmental stimuli and as they
mutate, these changes can make them resistant to drugs that would kill
or slow their growth.

In a recent article published in PLoS Genetics, UCF College of Medicine microbiologist Dr. Salvador Almagro-Moreno uncovers the evolutionary
origins of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria. His studies on
the bacterium that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae, provide insight
into deciphering what conditions must occur for infectious agents to
become resistant.

"How AMR occurs in bacterial populations and the pathways leading to
these new traits are still poorly understood," he said. "This poses a
major public health threat as antimicrobial resistance is on the rise."
Dr. Almagro-Moreno studied genetic variants of a protein found in
bacterial membranes called OmpU. Using computational and molecular
approaches, his team found that several OmpU mutations in the cholera
bacteria led to resistance to numerous antimicrobial agents. This
resistance included antimicrobial peptides that act as defenses in the
human gut. The researchers found that other OmpU variants did not provide
these properties, making the protein an ideal system for deciphering
the specific processes that occur to make some bacteria resistant to antimicrobials.

By comparing resistant and antibiotic sensitive variants, the
researchers were able to identify specific parts of OmpU associated with
the emergence of antibiotic resistance. They also discovered that the
genetic material encoding these variants, along with associated traits,
can be passed between bacterial cells, increasing therisk of spreading
AMR in populations under antibiotic pressure.

By understanding how mutations occur, researchers can
better understand and develop therapeutics to combat resistant
infections. Dr. Almagro-Moreno is also looking at environmental factors
such as pollution and warming of the oceans, as possible causes of
resistant bacteria. "We are studying the genetic diversity ofenvironmental populations, including coastal Florida isolates, to develop a new approach
to understandinghow antimicrobial resistance evolves," he explained.

Understanding the bacteria that causes cholera, an acute diarrheal
illness linked to infected water and foods, has global implications. The disease sickens up to 4 million people worldwide and severe cases can
cause death within hours.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Health_&_Medicine
# Infectious_Diseases # Diabetes # Pharmacology #
Pharmaceuticals
o Plants_&_Animals
# Bacteria # Microbes_and_More # Microbiology #
Biotechnology_and_Bioengineering
* RELATED_TERMS
o Cholera o Antibiotic_resistance o Pathogen o
Genetic_recombination o Transmission_(medicine) o Adenoid o
Plant_breeding o Meningitis

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
University_of_Central_Florida. Original written by Suhtling Wong. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Trudy-Ann Grant, Mario Lo'pez-Pe'rez, Jose Manuel Haro-Moreno,
Salvador
Almagro-Moreno. Allelic diversity uncovers protein domains
contributing to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. PLOS
Genetics, 2023; 19 (3): e1010490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010490 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230505141616.htm

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