IBBR Researchers Develop Procedure for Screening Microbes for Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics Resistance

Research from the laboratories of Drs. Shuwei Li (UM IBBR/CHEM&BCHM) and Daniel Nelson (UM IBBR/VETMED) has led to the development of a quick and sensitive procedure for screening microbes that are resistant to certain broad-spectrum antibiotics. The group recently published the findings, titled “Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria Resistant to Broad-Spectrum β-Lactam Antibiotics”, in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.  Angewandte Chemie, an internationally renowned, peer-reviewed scientific journal that has the highest impact factor value for a chemistry-specific journal that publishes original research.

The published research focuses on the synthesis of a novel fluorescent β-lactamase substrate. While other fluorogenic β-lactamase substrates are available, few show selective cleavage towards specific β-lactamase activities. The new substrate, on the other hand, can distinguish β-lactamases capable of degrading latest cephalosporin antibiotics from those lacking this activity. These data suggest that the new substrate can be used in an assay that would provide useful advice for antibiotic selection in a timely fashion and prevent unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. In the long term, this methodology can be used in conjunction with classic microbiological techniques to combat bacterial drug resistance.

The research in the Li lab at UM focuses on developing novel chemical and proteomic techniques for biomarker discovery and disease diagnosis. Dr. Nelson’s laboratory at UM studies several proteins derived from bacterial viruses, or bacteriophage, that possess an inherent antimicrobial potential against both human and animal pathogens. Together, the collaborating research interests in the Li and Nelson labs bring an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to identifying novel tools for the diagnosis and treatment of pathogenic bacterial infections.