Combating Antibiotic Resistance Using Plant Derived Compounds

Combating Antibiotic Resistance Using Plant Derived Compounds

    Presenter(s)

    Emily Marie Jones

    Description

    Bacteria have steadily developed defenses against antibiotics since the world’s first fleet of antibacterial drugs was introduced. One strategy that bacteria can use to become multi-drug resistant involves the overexpression of large, membrane-embedded efflux pumps, such as the AcrAB-TolC pump found in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other Gram-negative bacteria. This large efflux pump gives the bacterium the capability of transporting a wide variety of compounds out of the cell, including antibiotics that we use to combat bacterial infections. The overexpression of these bacterial efflux pumps renders our antibiotics ineffective. I have determined that Yerba Mate extract causes accumulation of a fluorescent dye in live bacterial cells and might, therefore, also cause accumulation of clinically relevant antibiotics. I will test the Yerba Mate extract for efflux pump inhibition in the presence of antibiotics and fractionate the crude extract to identify the active compounds that could be inhibiting the efflux pump. This research could open up a new avenue in the treatment of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.

    Publication Date

    4-24-2019

    Project Designation

    Independent Research

    Primary Advisor

    Matthew E. Lopper

    Primary Advisor's Department

    Chemistry

    Keywords

    Stander Symposium project

    Combating Antibiotic Resistance Using Plant Derived Compounds

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