ScienceDaily
(July 4, 2012) — Research by Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has
shown that the development of bacteria with resistance against the antibiotic
cefotaxime occurs more often and more predictably than was previously assumed.
Bacterial populations were found to have many mutations that increase
resistance and therefore have a negative effect on public health. Moreover, the
effects are such that it can be predicted that the development of bacterial
strains with a resistance against cefotaxime will progress in a similar way in
different patients from different locations. Together with German colleagues,
the Wageningen scientists developed a research approach which will allow them
to predict whether, and if so how, resistant bacterial strains will develop for
other antibiotics as well.
The
Wageningen scientists studied the main enzyme that causes resistance against
the antibiotic cefotaxime. The only function of this beta-lactamase enzyme is
the breakdown of so-called beta-lactam antibiotics, which kill bacteria by
preventing the production of their cell walls. Martijn Schenk and Arjan de
Visser, genetic scientists at Wageningen University, were surprised by the
number of mutations with a positive effect on the resistance against
cefotaxime. De Visser: "Of all the mutations we found in this
beta-lactamase, more than three per cent caused an increase in the resistance
against the antibiotic. To top it all off, we discovered that the mutations
with a strong effect also had a much greater impact than we had anticipated.
Based on theoretical arguments and previous observations, we had estimated the
effects on the resistance against the antibiotic to be significantly
lower."
The
presence in particular of mutations with a very strong effect on resistance to
the antibiotic facilitates the prediction of the development of resistant
bacterial strains.
Collaboration
with a group of physicists in Germany enabled the Wageningen scientists to
study the genetic findings quantitatively, as Martijn Schenk explains:
"The physicists built computer models that helped us as geneticists to
move forward. We were able to show that it is probable that the bacteria will
become resistant against the antibiotic in a similar way in various patients
throughout the world."
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wageningen
University and Research Centre.
Note: Materials may be edited for
content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited
above.
Journal Reference:
1.
Martijn F. Schenk, Ivan G. Szendro,
Joachim Krug, J. Arjan G. M. de Visser. Quantifying the Adaptive Potential
of an Antibiotic Resistance Enzyme. PLoS Genetics, 2012; 8 (6):
e1002783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002783
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