New molecule found to suppress bacterial antibiotic resistance evolution

However, this DNA damage can trigger a process known as the ‘SOS response’ in the affected bacteria. The researchers studied a series of molecules previously reported to increase the sensitivity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to antibiotics, and to prevent the MRSA SOS response. They found that the emergence of resistance to ciprofloxacin was significantly suppressed in bacteria treated with OXF-077, compared to those not treated with OXF-077. This is the first study to demonstrate that an inhibitor of the SOS response can suppress the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The paper ‘Development of an inhibitor of the mutagenic SOS response that suppresses the evolution of quinolone antibiotic resistance’ has been published in the journal Chemical Science.