It is already known that bacteria communicate with one another using chemical signal molecules. Chemical signalling involves producing, releasing, detecting, and responding to small hormone-like molecules termed autoinducers. The process of communication in bacteria is known as quorum sensing.
New research from Western University unravels a novel means of communication that allows bacteria such as Burkholderia cenocepacia (B. cenocepacia) to resist antibiotic treatment. The bacteria is everywhere but infection hasn't been a problem because our immune system can fight it off but it causes devastating infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or with compromised immune systems.
Researchers, Dr. Miguel Valvano and Omar El-Halfawy, PhD candidate, found that within a bacterial population, the more antibiotic resistant cells produces and shares small molecules with less resistant cells, which makes bacteria with more resistant to antibiotic killing. They also find that small molecules protect not only the more sensitive cells of B. cenocepacia but also other bacteria including a highly prevalent CF pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli. The research is published in PLOS ONE.
"These findings reveal a new mechanism of antimicrobial resistance based on chemical communication among bacterial cells by small molecules that protect against the effect of antibiotics," says Dr. Valvano
The hope is that with greater understanding of how the bacteria work, researchers can stop the way it interferes with life-saving drugs like antibiotics.
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