SEATTLE, March 16 (UPI) -- Researchers in Seattle are trying to trick antibiotic-resistant bacteria with gallium, a metal that bacteria confuse for iron.
"The competition for iron is critical in the struggle between bacteria and host," said Pradeep Singh, associate professor of medicine and microbiology at the University of Washington. "The body has potent defense mechanisms to keep iron away from infecting organisms, and invaders must steal some if they are to survive."
Bacteria need iron to grow and form biofilms, the microbes behind many chronic infections.
"Gallium acts as a Trojan horse to iron-seeking bacteria," said Singh. "Because gallium looks like iron, invading bacteria are tricked, in a way, into taking it up. Unfortunately for the bacteria, gallium can't function like iron once it's inside bacterial cells."
University of Cincinnati researcher Bradley Britigan developed the idea of using gallium as a substitute for iron and co-authored a study that will appear in the April 2 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
"We badly need new approaches to fight bacteria," said Singh. "The gallium strategy isn't ready for clinical use yet. However, we think this approach is promising, and we can't afford to leave any stone unturned."
