Studying the surfaces of bacteria using neutron scattering: finding new openings for antibiotics.

Paracini, NicolòMalmö universitet,Institutionen för biomedicinsk vetenskap (BMV),Biofilms Research Center for Biointerfaces (author)

Studying the surfaces of bacteria using neutron scattering : finding new openings for antibiotics.

The use of neutrons as a scattering probe to investigate biological membranes has steadily grown in the past three decades, shedding light on the structure and behaviour of this ubiquitous and fundamental biological barrier. Meanwhile, the rise of antibiotic resistance has catalysed a renewed interest in understanding the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of antibiotics interaction with the bacterial cell envelope. It is widely recognised that the key reason behind the remarkable success of Gram-negative pathogens in developing antibiotic resistance lies in the effectiveness of their outer membrane (OM) in defending the cell from antibacterial compounds. Critical to its function, the highly asymmetric lipid distribution between the inner and outer bilayer leaflets of the OM, adds an extra level of complexity to the study of this crucial defence barrier. Here we review the opportunities offered by neutron scattering techniques, in particular reflectometry, to provide structural information on the interactions of antimicrobials with in vitro models of the OM. The differential sensitivity of neutrons towards hydrogen and deuterium makes them a unique probe to study the structure and behaviour of asymmetric membranes. Molecular-level understanding of the interactions between antimicrobials and the Gram-negative OM provides valuable insights that can aid drug development and broaden our knowledge of this critically important biological barrier.

NATURVETENSKAP Biologi Biokemi och molekylärbiologi hsv//swe
NATURAL SCIENCES Biological Sciences Biochemistry and Molecular Biology hsv//eng
antibiotics
biological models
gram-negative bacteria
lipopolysaccharides
neutron scattering
outer membrane

Clifton, Luke AISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0QX, U.K (author)
Lakey, Jeremy HBiosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, U.K (author)
Malmö universitetInstitutionen för biomedicinsk vetenskap (BMV) (creator_code:org_t)

In:Biochemical Society Transactions: Portland Press48:5, s. 2139-21490300-51271470-8752

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NATURAL SCIENCES: NATURAL SCIENCES; and Biological Scien ...; and Biochemistry and ...

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