麻豆淫院

New insights into a "friendly virus" that could pave the way for cutting-edge treatments for the potentially fatal superbug C. diff have been uncovered by University of Sheffield scientists.

The scientists have discovered how a spider-like virus can break through the armor of C. diff to infect the superbug, which is known to rapidly evolve resistance to antibiotics. The friendly viruses, known as bacteriophages (phages), are viruses that selectively target and kill their host bacteria, playing a crucial role in regulating bacterial populations and influencing microbial ecosystems.

As such, phage therapy has an enormous potential as an alternative treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The discovery is the next step in research that demonstrates how the bacteria is able to develop a resistance to the front-line drug used for treatment in the U.K.

Using the University's own high-resolution electron microscope, the team were able to study the phage in atomic detail for the first time. They found that the phage acts like a tiny syringe and that this syringe has a more compact needle tip and reduced contraction compared with all other phages studied to date鈥攆eatures that look to be uniquely suited to infect C. diff. The research is in Life Science Alliance.

Phages are not currently approved medicines in most countries; however, this research strengthens the argument that these fascinating molecular machines can become successful in treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

A from the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, published in November 2023, highlighted the possibilities of using phages more widely to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections and it is hoped that this research will lead to the development of new phage-based therapies.

"Phages hold great promise for use as novel antibiotics, and form part of a rapidly growing area of research. Until now, we have not had a detailed picture of a phage that infects tough, armored bacteria like C. difficile. We are very happy to have been able to provide this level of detail, and this work will allow us to develop the application of these phages in the future," says lead author Dr. Jason Wilson.