Scientists have found an alternative to antibiotics
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Researchers from Melbourne discovered the atomic structure of antibacterial viral protein, which can be used as an alternative to antibiotics.
PlyC, a viral protein known as bacteriophage lysine, was first detected in 1925, but after the discovery of antibiotics it was forgotten as a possible means for treating infections.
As bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics, researchers from Rockefeller University, the University of Maryland and the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University began studying PlyC, a promising site for the development of new drugs.
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences, PlyC can kill bacteria that cause a wide variety of infections, from pneumonia to streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
After six years of research, scientists from Monash University, trying to understand the antibacterial properties of PlyC, made a breakthrough in determining its atomic structure.
"Scientists have tried to decipher the structure of PlyC for more than 40 years," said Dr. Shina McGowan. "A huge step forward was understanding how it looks and how it attacks the bacteria."
According to Dr. McGowan, PlyC is an effective bacterial killing machine, reminiscent of a flying saucer with two warheads.
"This protein is docked to the surface of the bacterium with eight separate docking areas located on one side of the plate." Two warheads chew the cell surface, penetrating inside and rapidly killing bacteria, "she explained.
Ashley Buckle, an associate professor at the same Monash University, notes that PlyC was 100 times more effective in destroying certain bacteria than any other lysine known to date. It acts faster than household bleach.
[