Staphylococcus aureusis an intimidating and ambitious bacterium . It is responsible for a wide variety of human malady , from vexatious hide pimple to deadly meningitis . It ’s pervasive and numerous strains have acquire antibiotic resistance , but perhaps most famously the “ superbug ” MRSA ( methicillin - resistantS. aureus ) . While the branch race to struggle them off continues , an international team of scientists has base a potential room to reduce the harm from contagion . This could ameliorate survival of the fittest hazard of patients with serious infection like pneumonia or the potentially fatal toxic shock syndrome .
One of the most effective weapons in the bacterium ’s arsenal is theα - toxin , which pierces through the host cell membrane and can cause widespread tissue paper wipeout . This enquiry has place the constituent of our cells that facilitate the mayhem produced by the toxin . A pregnant culprit is the PLEKHA7 protein , which was discovered by the squad of Sandra Citi , a prof at the University of Geneva ( UNIGE ) and co - conductor of the study .
To start with , the team infected cells that did not have this protein withStaphylococcus aureus . Unlike normal cell , these were able to convalesce from the α - toxin - induce trauma . They then moved on to animals that the investigator had genetically organize to not express this protein , which tell a like story .
“ Moreover , by taint mice genetically deprived of PLEKHA7 with a multiresistant bacterial form ( MRSA ) , we observed improved healing from bacterial peel infection , as well as enhance survival of pneumonia , ” bring out Manuel Amieva , a professor at Stanford ’s School of Medicine and co - fourth-year author of the study , in astatement .
The team is try on to realize how PLEKHA7 is capable of affect the virulence of the α - toxin . One of the hypotheses put forrad in the study is that the protein transmits signals that promote cellular self - death , making the toxin , and thus the infection , significantly worse .
There are presently several approaches being studied to inhibit the PLEKHA7 , and thus potentially limitStaphylococcus aureus . The discovery of an effective method could help foreshorten the scathe of antibiotic - resistant strain of the bacteria .
The team , from Stanford University in collaboration with UNIGE , published its research inProceedings of the National Academy of Science .
