Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf and the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany have together succeeded in identifying and synthesizing a group of molecules that can act against the cause of tuberculosis in a new way. Their research was published in the scientific journal Cell Chemical Biology.

Over time, M. tuberculosis has developed resistance to many antibiotics, making treatment increasingly difficult. There are currently only a few drugs available that are effective against resistant strains.

In the new study, the team found that natural substances called callyaerins inhibited the growth of tuberculosis bacteria in human cells. In the natural environment, callyaerins are found in sea sponges.

The callyaerins attack a specific membrane protein of M. tuberculosis called Rv2113. This comprehensively disrupts the metabolism of the bacterium, hindering its growth. By contrast, human cells remain unaffected by the callyaerins.

According to the researchers, the Rv2113 protein has not previously been considered as a target to target the pathogen because it is not essential for the viability of the bacterium. However, scientific experiments have shown that the disruption of this element interrupts the growth of the microorganism, paving the way for the creation of new types of drugs.