The Unexpected Effects of the Combination of Antibiotics and Immunity

Thomas P Burke

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.02.003

The Unexpected Effects of the Combination of Antibiotics and Immunity

Cell. 2018 Feb 22;172(5):891-893. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.02.003.

Author

Thomas P Burke¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. Electronic address: tburke@berkeley.edu.

PMID: 29474916
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.02.003

Abstract

β-lactam antibiotics and immune enzymes, including lysozyme, kill bacteria by rupturing the cell wall. Curiously, their combination can select for viable, wall-less bacteria. Kawai and colleagues describe the molecular details regarding the emergence of these forms, illustrating a novel and potentially clinically relevant mechanism by which bacteria escape killing by antibiotics.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Comment

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents*
Bacteria
Cell Wall
Muramidase
beta-Lactams*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
beta-Lactams
Muramidase

Grants and funding

R01 AI109044/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States