MSU scientists have figured out how to significantly increase the effectiveness of antimicrobial peptides, substances used to fight fungal infections. The trick is to combine them with lactonase enzymes, which break down the molecules that allow the fungi to communicate and develop drug resistance. This discovery could significantly improve the fight against fungal diseases by increasing the effectiveness of the treatment by 5,000 times.
Fungi, like other microorganisms, have the ability to develop resistance to antibiotics and antifungals. One reason for this is their ability to “talk” to each other through molecules called lactones, which regulate overall cell actions, including defense against external factors. By breaking down these molecules using lactonase enzymes, scientists can disrupt the communication between fungal cells and thus prevent the development of resistance.
Experiments have shown that combined preparations of peptides and lactonases significantly increase the antifungal effect. For example, with the addition of His6-OPH lactonase, the effectiveness of bacitracin increased 100-fold and polymyxin increased 5000-fold against all fungi tested. These results confirm that the combination of peptides with lactonases can significantly improve the treatment of infections in both humans and plants. In the future, scientists plan to continue investigating such combinations to combat fungi as part of mixed infections.
Source: Ferra
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