Absorbent Plastic Fights Bacterial Infection by Silencing Microbes' Chemical Conversations
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria In order to infect, bacteria have to gather their forces. A new plastic-like material can disrupt their communications, making it difficult for infections to take hold. An inventive alternative to antibiotics A team of researchers is waging communications warfare on infectious bacteria, silencing the biochemical conversations microbes use to organize their attacks on biological tissues. By deploying plastic-like materials that soak up the chemical signals bacteria pass between one another, the team may have found a way to insert an element of confusion into the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The materials -- similar to the stuff dentists use to repair teeth -- are specially designed to absorb signaling molecules that bacteria use to gather their troops around an infection point. In order to get a good infection going, bacteria need sufficient numbers. If they can't muster, they can't infect. Further, the plastics also keep bacteria from forming biofilms, which are...