03 May 2013
Notorious Aureus
Antibiotics are the go-to drugs for bacterial infections. They’re crucial for treating conditions from irritating ear infections to life-threatening tuberculosis. Although we have white blood cells (one shown in purple) to help defend us, which can ingest and kill bugs like Staphylococcus aureus (shown in yellow), we often need extra help. But, if antibiotics are used overzealously and in wrong situations, they can become ineffective. The bugs can develop resistance to antibiotics, adapting to live happily in their presence and leaving few options for treating serious infections like MRSA (multidrug- or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). In a quest to develop new antibiotics, scientists have discovered the transporter in the notoriously difficult to treat S. Aureus, which pumps out the toxins that cause us to feel ill. Using this discovery, drugs could now be designed to ‘plug’ the transporter, locking in the toxins, saving patients who may have had no other option.
Written by
Search The Archive
Submit An Image
Like us on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Tumblr
Follow on Instagram
What is BPoD?
BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.
BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.