Engineered E. coli strain can help fight antibiotic-resistant pathogen

A genetically engineered strain of Escherichia coli successfully prevented Pseudomonas aeruginosa activity during gut infection in two animal models, according to a study in Nature Communications.

Previously, researchers engineered E. coli to fight the P. aeruginosa pathogen, however, it was tested in the laboratory only, according to The Verge. The new study is the first time the genetically engineered E. coli has been used to kill P. aeruginosa in living beings.

P. aeruginosa commonly cause infections in humans, the CDC notes. Typically, these infections occur in people in the hospital or with weakened immune systems. Pseudomonas infections, which are generally treated with antibiotics, are becoming increasingly resistant.

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P. aeruginosa pathogens work with biofilms, which give them a protective shield, The Verge reports. The engineered E. coli breaks down this shield, allowing antibiotics or the immune system to fight the pathogens. The E. coli strain was tested in guts of roundworms and mice.

"These findings support the further development of engineered microorganisms with potential prophylactic and therapeutic activities against gut infections," study authors wrote.

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