Scientists uncover new anti-TB compounds.Byline: ANI London, Sept 17 (ANI): Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have identified certain compounds that would inhibit the sophisticated mechanism used by tuberculosis bacteria for surviving dormant in infected cells. The researchers said most of the people infected with TB remain symptom-free because the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis n. Tubercic bacillus. Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the disease-causing bacteria, is kept in check within immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. cells. These cells produce compounds such as nitric oxide nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide, a colorless gas formed by the combustion of nitrogen and oxygen as given by the reaction: energy + N2 + O2 → 2NO; m.p. −163.6°C;; b.p. −151.8°C;. , which scientists believe damage or destroy the bacteria's proteins. If these compounds are allowed to accumulate, the damaged proteins would kill the bacteria. However, a protein-cleaving complex known as a proteasome Proteasomes are large protein complexes inside all eukaryotes and archaea, as well as in some bacteria. In eukaryotes, they are located in the nucleus and the cytoplasm.[1] breaks down that damaged proteins and allows the bacteria to remain dormant. The researchers suggest that finding drugs to disable the proteasome would be a new way to fight TB. During the study, the researchers examined 20,000 compounds for TB proteasome inhibition activity, and identified and synthesized a group of inhibitors, which they then tested for their ability to inhibit the proteasome inside the mycobacteria mycobacteria members of the genus Mycobacterium. anonymous mycobacteria see opportunist (atypical) mycobacteria (below). nontubercular mycobacteria see opportunist (atypical) mycobacteria (below). . "We believe these findings represent a new approach for developing antibiotics in the fight against TB," Nature magazine quoted Dr. Carl Nathan, senior author and chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, R.A. Rees Pritchett Professor of Microbiology and director of the Abby and Howard P. Milstein Program in Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease Infectious disease A pathological condition spread among biological species. Infectious diseases, although varied in their effects, are always associated with viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites and aberrant proteins known as prions. at Weill Cornell Medical College, as saying "This is important because we are running out of effective antibiotics that are currently available. There are few drugs that successfully combat TB in its dormant stage, which makes the bacterium so resilient in the body. "More important, there are many antibiotics that kill bacteria by blocking the synthesis of proteins, but there are none that kill bacteria by interfering with protein breakdown, as we have found here," Nathan added. (ANI) Copyright 2009 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency. (ANI) - All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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