“Zosurabalpin, a new class of antibiotics, has been identified by researchers with the potential to tackle a drug-resistant bacterium, Acinetobacter baumannii.”
About Zosurabalpin:
- Zosurabalpin was previously identified as capable of inhibiting the growth of A. baumannii.
- It inhibits a crucial process – the transport of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) – by targeting a complex of proteins.
- This complex is vital for transporting LPS to the bacterial surface to form the outer-membrane structure of Gram-negative bacteria.
- Zosurabalpin disrupts LPS transport, leading to an abnormal accumulation of LPS in the cell, ultimately causing the death of the bacterium.
- Additionally, Zosurabalpin significantly reduced bacterial levels in mice with CRAB-induced pneumonia and prevented the death of those with CRAB-related sepsis.
About CRAB:
- CRAB is classified as a priority 1 critical pathogen by the World Health Organization, along with two other drug-resistant bacteria – Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae.
- Crab is a significant cause of infection in hospitals, particularly in people who are on ventilators.
- While it is not an aggressive pathogen it is resistant to multiple different antibiotics, making it very difficult to treat.
- Development of new treatments against this bacterium has been extremely challenging because it is very adept at keeping antibiotics from getting past its outer cell layer.
Threat from Antibiotic-resistant:
- Antibiotic-resistant infections, especially those caused by Gram-negative bacteria, pose an urgent threat to human health.
- These bacteria are protected by an outer shell containing a substance called lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
- LPS allows bacteria to live in harsh environments, and it also allows them to evade attack by the immune system.
Ref: Source
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