In modern society antibiotic treatments have been far too heavily relied upon and consequently there has been a staggering increase in antibiotic resistance of many strains of bacteria. Bacterial infections are becoming harder and harder to treat as the range of antibiotics available for treatment are failing. Through a better understanding of the process of this adaptation, a new approach to treating these microorganisms is in the future. The function of LexA, a DNA binding protein is known to influence the development of resistance of bacteria to antibiotics through the many mutations that occur during the SOS response. These mutations can sometimes lead to antibiotic resistance. Studies of LexA mutants have shown that bacterial infections are unable to evolve and adapt when exposed to DNA damage, through its inability to mutate. Scientists hope that small molecules can be introduced to antibiotics to specifically target the LexA protein. This would render it incapable of influencing the evolution of the bacteria. This would stop the bacterial infection and once again allow the human population to rely on one of the greatest modern scientific discoveries.
References
Johnston, N, (2005), ‘Reversing the evolution of antibiotic resistance’, Drug Discovery Today, Vol. 10, Iss. 19, pp. 1267
Stix, G, (2006), 'An Antibiotic Resistance Fighter’, Scientific American, Vol. 294, Iss. 4, pp. 80-83
Stix, G, (2006), 'An Antibiotic Resistance Fighter’, Scientific American, Vol. 294, Iss. 4, pp. 80-83
Student number: 41187333
