RIBOTARGET – So that antibiotics still hit their main target

Many antibiotics are no longer effective because the bacterial cells have become resistant. We therefore identify new targets on the ribosome and modify existing compounds so that the antibiotics retain their therapeutic effect.

  • Project description (ongoing research project)

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    The ribosome – the “protein factory” inside cells – is one of the main targets for antibiotics. With multidrug-resistant pathogens, however, the antibiotics currently available can no longer bind to the ribosome. We are thus working on antibiotics that use other structures on the ribosome or are able to overcome the resistance mechanisms. Project partners from six European countries are combining their expertise to identify targets, to improve existing antibiotics (such as aminoglycosides) and to discover new active compounds. We investigate their mechanisms of action in detail and test their efficacy against the most important antibiotic-resistant pathogens – classified as “Priority 1” by the WHO.

  • Background

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    Many antibiotics are no longer effective because antibiotics no longer bind to the target structure in multiresistant pathogens (the ribosome). New antibiotics that target different sites in the ribosome could overcome this problem.

  • Aim

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    We identify new sites on the ribosome and develop active substances that bind to them. By closely investigating the mechanisms of action involved, we lay the foundations for the development of new drugs.

  • Relevance

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    With new active substances that bind to new sites on the ribosome, we preserve the relevance for this target for antibacterial therapy.

  • Original title

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    Development of novel ribosome-targeting antibiotics