Israeli Breakthrough Could Help Solve Antibiotic Resistance

One of the most important medical advancements in the 20 th century was the discovery of antibiotics. The first antibiotic was introduced in 1910 and radically changed modern medicine, according to Science Direct. Penicillin was discovered in 1928 and these medications that could kill bacteria extended the average lifetime of people by 23 years.

Unfortunately while antibiotic discovery has continued to evolve, antibiotic resistant bacteria has also evolved. And the bacteria are winning. But new research from Tel Aviv University (TAU), in Israel, has discovered a way to outsmart bacteria and shut down its defense mechanisms when transferring DNA. This new breakthrough could help solve the antibiotic resistance crisis, according to a press release from the university.

New scientific breakthrough
The transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another is how these microbes evolve but the mechanics of the process have not been fully understood by scientists, reported Israel21c. The process which is known as conjugation, allows one bacterial cell to attach to another through a miniscule tube and this allows the transfer of genetic material that are called plasmids. This transfer can provide genetic advantages; like being resistant to antibiotics.

“Until now, no one has fully explored how plasmids overcome these defense mechanisms,” Professor David Burstein from the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research at TAU, told Isreal21c. His PhD student Bruria Samuel led the study that was published in the Nature scientific journal.

Samuel conducted a computational analysis of 33,000 plasmids and was able to identify the gene that allowed plasmids to bypass bacterial defense mechanisms when transferring DNA. She said: “We used plasmids that confer antibiotic resistance and introduced them into bacteria equipped with CRISPR, the well-known bacterial defense system that can target and destroy DNA, including that of plasmids.”

Where the anti-defense systems on plasmids are located, determines whether the microbe can overcome the CRISPR, repetitive DNA,  system or if it will be killed off

What does it all mean?
Understanding how the positioning of the anti-defense system on the plasmids work means that the antibiotic- resistant genes could be effectively blocked. Besides hospital settings, there are other potential uses for this new discovery.

“Another potential application could involve designing effective plasmids for genetic manipulation of natural bacterial populations. This could help block antibiotic resistance genes in hospital bacterial populations, teach bacteria in soil and water to break down pollutants or fix carbon dioxide, and even manipulate gut bacteria to improve human health,” Burstein said in the TAU press release.

Manipulated bacteria could be used in agritech and foodtech to protect against food borne illnesses. The potential uses for good are almost endless.