Computer modeling could help design next-generation antibiotics

A team at the University of Bristol in the U.K. used computer simulations to gain insight into how drug-resistant bacteria are able to ward off antibiotics. Specifically, they focused on the role of enzymes in the bacteria, which split the structure of the antibiotic, rendering the drug ineffective and allowing the bacteria to develop resistance and proliferate. The computer models could be used test enzymes and predict and understand resistance in new antibiotics under development. More