Pre-organising antibiotic structure could aid fight against resistance

A novel synthetic antibiotic with a structure preorganised for optimal ribosomal binding has been shown to be effective against several multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria. The researchers hope their findings will support the future discovery of antibacterial agents broadly effective against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Lincosamide antibiotics, such as clindamycin, work by binding to the bacterial ribosome, arresting protein synthesis. However, bacterial evolution has produced many ribosome modifications that confer resistance by reducing the binding affinity of these antibiotics, rendering them ineffective.