Battling MRSA On a Cellular Level

A new study, highlighted in the journal Nature Chemical Biology and McKnight's Long-Term Care News, suggests that it might be possible to halt methicillin-resistant superbugs such as Staphylococcus aureus before they become harmful.

Researchers from the Jeff Brinker research group have discovered that the process of bacteria emitting toxins begins with a single cell that releases a peptide that "switches" bacteria from harmless to virulent. This is a stark contrast to current theory, which holds that staph infections develop when a large number of bacteria "signal" each other to start emitting toxins.

The researchers found that by introducing a lipoprotein, they were able to bind the peptide that triggers the switch from harmless to virulent to the cell, preventing bacteria from becoming harmful.

The researchers reason that this approach could make it easier to treat drug-resistant staph infections before they become life-threatening. It would also eliminate treating the infection with antibiotics, therefore preventing the good bacteria that live in the stomach and intestines from being affected.