Průlom v boji proti superbakteriím? Brněnský CEITEC navrhuje na počítači jejich zabijáky

An international team led by the CEITEC institute of Masaryk University developed a new method for designing antimicrobial peptides using computer modeling. These short proteins are capable of killing bacteria and could help in the development of future antibiotics. Scientists first analyzed 150 peptides and derived rules from their behavior to design molecules that create small pores in bacterial membranes. Using this method, they can generate a vast number of peptides and select those with desired properties. The most effective designed peptides were tested against groups of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria and were confirmed to not damage human red blood cells or be toxic to human cells. This reversed approach, which first examines required properties and then designs molecules, could accelerate the development of new drugs.