WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist has determined the structure of a protein controlling the E. coli starvation response.
The discovery by David Sanders, Purdue University associate professor of biology, might lead to antibiotic treatments for various diseases because the same protein is found in numerous harmful bacteria, including those that cause ulcers, leprosy, food poisoning, whooping cough, meningitis and stomach cancer.
"This is an important discovery for the field of antibiotics, which was greatly in need of something new," Sanders said. "The antibiotics available today face a challenge of increasing resistance and failure.
"This research suggests a whole new approach to combat bacterial infections," he added. "In addition, this protein is an excellent antibiotic target because it only exists in bacteria and some plants, which means the treatment will only affect the targeted bacterial cells and will be harmless to human cells."
The study by Sanders and his collaborator, Miriam Hasson, appears in the Aug. 16 issue of the journal Structure.
