An unusual bacterium that penetrates and lives inside human cells may offer a new drug target
Research underway in the lab of Rebecca Alexander, a professor in Wake Forest University's Department of Chemistry, is shedding light on an unusual human bacterium, Mycoplasma penetrans. Alexander's work to understand how and why this unique pathogen acts as it does could one day lead to new classes of drugs that better target illnesses associated with this particular pathogen, as well as others…
An unusual bacterium called Mycoplasma penetrans, discovered in immunocompromised patients with HIV, may hold the key to new drug targets. This intracellular parasite lives inside human cells and has a unique ability that sets it apart from most other bacteria. It penetrates into the host cell using a spear-like structure and relies on the host for many of the genes it doesn't contain itself.
One key aspect of M. penetrans is its methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) enzyme. This enzyme is much larger than the equivalent enzyme found in the common bacterium E. coli. While most bacteria shed unnecessary genes, M. penetrans retained this double-sized protein, possibly because it performs an additional function that aids in synthesizing methionine when it's scarce in the host cell.
The researchers suspect that this unique enzyme may provide M. penetrans with a selective advantage. By understanding the structure and function of MetRS, scientists can potentially develop new drug targets to inhibit this pathogen. This bacterium appears to have evolved a distinct way of functioning, and researchers are eager to explore this further.
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