Team:TAU Israel
Antibiotics were first discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and were considered at the time as the ultimate solution for bacterial infections
ALEXANDER FLEMING 1881 - 1955
DEATH ATTRIBUTABLE TO ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE EVERY YEAR BY 2050
Over the years, resistant bacteria strains have developed and antibiotic resistance became one of the biggest threats to global health. It is expected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050.
In order to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria, we decided to use pyocins as an alternative to antibiotics. Pyocins are protein complexes produced by some strains of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a means for attacking rival bacteria.
The killing spectrum of these protein complexes is determined by their tail fibers, which recognize and bind to target bacterial surface structures. By replacing the pyocin tail fibers, we aim to change the bactericidal specificity and to be able to kill any harmful bacteria.
We decided to produce this protein in a friendly strain of the bacteria E.coli. In that way, we will be able to insert this E.coli to the patient's body and produce on-site a pyocin with a tail that matches the patient's pathogen – an in-body drug factory:
DRUG FACTORY IN E.coli
Engineered E.Coli contains the ability to produce different pyocin types by induction.
When sensing hostile bacteria, the pyocins are being produced with the relevant tail.
The pyocins are released and target hostile bacteria.
The pyocins attach to the membrane of the target bacteria. The pyocins kill the hostile bacteria by contracting a sheath-like structure and inserting a hollow core through the envelope of the target bacteria.
