The vitamin biotin is essential for the growth of bacteria. The researchers show that there is not enough biotin present in human plasma to support the growth of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Several multi-drug resistant pathogens must synthesize biotin to survive in human plasma. Accordingly, biotin synthesis is a novel target for antibiotics.
Biotin synthesis has been previously overlooked as a target because mice have 40 times more biotin in their plasma then humans. Researchers developed a mouse model that mimics the amount of biotin in humans. With this new mouse model, researchers were able to treat drug-resistant infections by inhibiting biotin synthesis.
A gut bacteria could hold the key to universal blood, revolutionizing transfusion medicine