Scientists may have found a way to kill Burkholderia cenocepacia, a multi-drug resistant plant pathogen that causes severe infections in people with cystic fibrosis.

The team of researchers has identified a weakness in the armour that protects the B. cenocepacia bacterium from the effects of antibiotics. They hypothesize that preventing the synthesis of a key sugar required for this armour, 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose (Ara4N), may lead to a susceptibility within the cell membrane to antibiotics

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Researchers hope to discover novel molecules as antibiotic candidates which could disrupt the synthesis of Ara4N.

Source: The University of Western Ontario
Photo: B. cenocepacia, JGI