Mapping antibiotic’s binding of its target points to way to give drugs the killer edge
By 
Ada McVean2023-09-01T08:30:00
Technique that creates a comprehensive catalogue of mutations in antibiotic’s target reveals how drugs might be improved
A comprehensive map has been created detailing how the antibiotic rifampicin binds to its target – the enzyme RNA polymerase – leading to the identification of several previously unknown interactions that can affect the drug’s function. ‘Our approach demonstrates a blueprint to study binding sites for other antibiotics and different drugs,’ says Evgeny Nudler at the New York University School of Medicine who led the project.