Antibiotic-resistant superbug has a protein coat like chain mail

Clostridium difficile has a structure similar to chain mail that prevents drugs and immune system cells from killing it.

Health 25 February 2022

By Carissa Wong.

Clostridium difficile is known as a superbug because of its incredible resistance to antibiotics, which may be due to the fact that it has a structure similar to chain mail. The immune system may be protected by this coating.

The armour is made of an ordered but flexible lattice, similar to a chain mail.

Antibiotic treatment in the hospital can disrupt the balance ofbacteria in the gut, which can lead to Clostridium difficile infections.

Join us for a mind-blowing festival of ideas and experiences. New Scientist Live is going hybrid, with a live in-person event in Manchester, UK, that you can also enjoy from the comfort of your own home, from 12 to 14 March 2022. Find out more.

Inflammation in the gut can be caused by toxins released by the bacterium, which can lead to death.

The original antibiotic treatment is usually stopped and replaced with a course of antibiotics that are more effective against the bacterium. New methods are needed to fight the resistance to antibiotics.

A lack of understanding of the S-layer has limited the search for new treatments.

She and her colleagues took pictures of the structure at the atomic level. They found that the coat is made of two proteins and that they anchor to the cell wall.

Small molecule and ion can pass through the small pores in the chain mail, which are too small to let in larger molecule.

This was a big surprise, says Salgado.

The researchers suggest that targeting certain regions of the S-layer could offer new ways to tackle the disease.

Anthony Buckley at the University of Leeds in the UK says that the S-layer is a viable target for Clostridium difficile.

Nature Communications is a journal.

You can get a round-up of all the health and fitness news every Saturday by signing up for the Health Check newsletter.

There are more on these topics.