Antimicrobials: Bacterial enzymes 'straighten out' antibiotics

Nature Reviews Microbiology 16, 122 (2018).
doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2018.19

Author: Andrea Du Toit
Bacteria use diverse mechanisms to overcome antibiotics, including their destruction or chemical modification. Rifamycins, which are semi-synthetic antibiotics, adopt a characteristic basket-like structure that is essential for binding to the RNA exit tunnel of the target β-subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase to inhibit RNA synthesis.

Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology - February 12, 2018 Category: Microbiology Authors: Andrea Du Toit Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research