Electronic micrography at low temperature of an E. coli bacteria cluster, expanded 10,000 times
According to a new study, conducted by a team of researchers led by Portuguese Ana Rita Brochado, some ingredients of our daily diet – including caffeine – may influence bacteria resistance to antibiotics.
Coffee animates us and helps us to perform better in various types of activities. Unfortunately, the caffeine present in coffee can also Stimulate bacteria who live in our body, making them more resistant to antibiotics.
This is the unexpected discovery of a team of researchers at the University of Tübingen and the University of Würzburg, led by the Portuguese Biological Engineer Ana Rita Brochado.
Bacteria such as They exhibited chill use complex regulatory waterfalls to react to chemical stimuli of their direct environment, which can influence the effectiveness of antimicrobial medications.
In a systematic screening, the team investigated as 94 different substances – including antibiotics, prescribed drugs and food ingredients – influence Expression of key genetic regulators and the calls transport proteins and E. coli.
These protein function as pores and pumps in the bacterial environment, and control that substances enter or leave the cell.
The results of the, which were presented in an article recently published in Los Biology, show that several substances can influencein a more systematic subtil manner to genetic regulation in bacteria.
“Our results suggest that even daily substances without a direct antimicrobial effect – For example, caffeine drinks – They may have an impact on certain genetic regulators that control transport proteinsthus changing what enters and leaves the bacteria, ”says Christoph BINDSFELDMicrobiologist at the University of Würzburg and first author of the study, quoted by.
“A Caffeine triggers a waterfall of eventsstarting with the genetic regulator Rob and culminating in the alteration of several transport proteins in the E. coli – which in turn leads to a reduction of antibiotic absorption Like ciprofloxacin, ”adds Rita Brochado.“ As a result, caffeine weakens the effect of this antibiotic. ”
Researchers describe this phenomenon as a ‘antagonistic interaction‘.
This effect of weakening of certain antibiotics was not detectable in the Salmonella entericaa pathogen closely related to the They exhibited chill., What shows that even in similar bacterial speciesthe same environmental stimuli can lead to different reactions – possibly due to differences in transportation roads or their contribution to the absorption of antibiotics.
Study results may have implications for future therapeutic approaches to antibiotic treatment – which should include not only dosage and type of medicines, but also patient diet during therapy.
