Breakthrough Uncovers Weakness in Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Researchers identify magnesium dependency as a vulnerability in drug-resistant strains, offering a potential drug-free treatment approach.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been found to rely heavily on magnesium, creating a potential weakness that can be targeted without drugs.
The discovery was made by a team at the University of California-San Diego, focusing on the bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
Researchers found that mutations providing antibiotic resistance also cause increased competition for magnesium, hindering bacterial growth.
This vulnerability could be exploited by manipulating magnesium levels, potentially controlling resistant strains while sparing beneficial bacteria.
With antibiotic-resistant infections expected to cause up to 2 million deaths annually by 2050, this finding offers a promising new direction for treatment.