drug resistance – Page 5

Ganoderma lucidum inspired silver nanoparticles and its biomedical applications with special reference to drug resistant Escherichia coli isolates from CAUTI

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Researchers created tiny silver particles using a medicinal mushroom called Ganoderma lucidum to fight dangerous bacteria that resist antibiotics and are associated with urinary catheter infections. These nanoparticles were found to effectively kill drug-resistant bacteria, work as antioxidants better than a common antioxidant standard, and showed promise in killing breast cancer cells. This eco-friendly approach offers a natural alternative to conventional antibiotics for treating serious antibiotic-resistant infections.

Caged-hypocrellin mediated photodynamic therapy induces chromatin remodeling and disrupts mitochondrial energy metabolism in multidrug-resistant Candida auris

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Researchers developed a new photodynamic therapy treatment using a light-activated compound called COP1T-HA to fight drug-resistant Candida auris infections. The therapy works by reorganizing the fungal cell’s genetic material architecture and disrupting energy production in mitochondria, ultimately killing the fungal cells. This approach represents a novel strategy to overcome antibiotic resistance, as it targets multiple cellular processes rather than a single pathway that fungi can easily resist.

Past, present and future of antifungals: Advancements in mechanisms of action and resistance

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Fungal infections are a growing global health problem, particularly for people with weakened immune systems, causing millions of deaths annually. Current antifungal medications are limited and increasingly ineffective due to drug-resistant fungi. This special issue explores new treatment strategies including novel drugs, combination therapies, and innovative approaches like nanoparticles and antimicrobial peptides to combat these serious infections.

Disseminated cryptococcosis in an HIV patient with hepatitis C as the associated risk factor

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A 29-year-old patient with HIV and hepatitis C developed a serious fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans that spread to the brain. The infection was diagnosed through blood and spinal fluid tests and treated successfully with antifungal medications. This case shows why it is important to recognize and treat fungal infections quickly in people with weakened immune systems and multiple health conditions.

Microbe Profile: Streptomyces formicae KY5: an ANT-ibiotic factory

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Scientists have discovered a special bacterium called Streptomyces formicae that lives with ants in African acacia trees and produces powerful antibiotics. This bacterium naturally makes compounds called formicamycins that can kill dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA, as well as antifungal compounds. Researchers are using advanced gene-editing techniques to unlock more hidden antimicrobial compounds from this bacterium’s genome, which could lead to discovering new medicines to treat infections.

Revealing structure and shaping priorities in plant and fungal cell wall architecture via solid-state NMR

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This review explains how scientists use a special type of microscopy called solid-state NMR to study the protective outer layers of fungi and plants. The research shows that fungal pathogens can cleverly rearrange their cell walls to resist antifungal medicines, and that plants carefully organize their cell walls during growth by forming specific connections between different molecules. Understanding these structures at the molecular level could help develop better antifungal treatments and improve how we use plant biomass for biofuels and materials.

Staurosporine as an Antifungal Agent

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Staurosporine is a natural compound produced by soil bacteria that can kill fungi. Scientists originally discovered it in 1977 and found it works by blocking proteins called kinases that fungi need to survive. Recent research shows it could be useful against drug-resistant fungal infections, especially when combined with other antifungal medicines. However, it needs to be modified to make it safer for human use.

Cold atmospheric plasma improves antifungal responsiveness of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium keratoplasticum conidia and mycelia

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Researchers tested a new treatment called cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) combined with antifungal medications against fungi that cause serious eye infections. CAP, which generates reactive molecules without heat, was found to make antifungal drugs work better against two major fungal pathogens. In some cases, drugs that previously didn’t work started working when combined with CAP. This approach could help treat difficult fungal eye infections that are resistant to standard medications.

The Gcn5 lysine acetyltransferase mediates cell wall remodeling, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence of Candida auris

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Candida auris is a dangerous fungal infection that resists many standard antifungal drugs. Researchers discovered that a protein called Gcn5 helps this fungus survive both drugs and the body’s immune system. By targeting Gcn5 with a new compound called CPTH2, scientists showed they could make the fungus more vulnerable to standard treatments like caspofungin, suggesting a promising new approach to fighting these infections.

Things you wanted to know about fungal extracellular vesicles (but were afraid to ask)

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Fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny packages released by fungal cells that play important roles in fungal infections and how our immune system responds to them. Scientists have confirmed these EVs are real biological structures, not laboratory artifacts, and discovered they are produced by many different fungal species. Interestingly, these EVs can have opposite effects on the immune system depending on the fungus involved—sometimes helping our bodies fight infection and sometimes making infections worse, making them both potential vaccines and virulence factors.

Research Keyword: drug resistance