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Industrial Liaison Group:
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 778797
E-mail: [email protected]
β-lactamases play a significant role in antibiotic resistance. They are enzymes produced by bacteria that can deactivate and degrade antibiotics from the β-lactam class, which includes widely used antibiotics like penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems.
To combat antibiotic resistance, researchers are developing new antibiotics that are less susceptible to β-lactamase degradation, developing β-lactamase inhibitors that can block the action of these enzymes, and implementing strategies to reduce the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in healthcare and agriculture, which can contribute to the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In a recent study at Diamond, a collaboration of researchers including Allecra Therapeutics SAS and the University of Bristol used macromolecular crystallography to understand how penicillanic acid sulfones (PAS) inhibit β-lactamases. They also wanted to elucidate the molecular processes involved in the inactivation of CTX-M-15, a crucial β-lactamase enzyme, and to uncover any previously undiscovered mechanisms or interactions between PAS compounds and β-lactamases.
These findings may pave the way for the development of more effective antibiotics and strategies to combat the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Diamond Light Source is the UK's national synchrotron science facility, located at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.
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Industrial Liaison Office
