Recent estimates indicate that deadly antibiotic-resistant infections will rapidly escalate over the next quarter century. More than 1 million people died from drug-resistant infections each year from 1990 to 2021, a recent study reported, with new projections surging to nearly 2 million deaths each year by 2050.
In an effort to counteract this public health crisis, scientists are looking for new solutions inside the intricate mechanics of bacterial infection. A study led by researchers at the University of California San Diego has discovered a vulnerability within strains of bacteria that are antibiotic resistant.
Working with labs at Arizona State University and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain), Professor Gürol Süel and colleagues in UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences investigated the antibiotic resistance of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
Their research was motivated by the question of why mutant variants of bacteria do not proliferate and take over the population once they have developed an antibiotic-resistant advantage. With an upper hand over other bacteria lacking similar antibiotic resistance, such bacteria should become dominant. Yet they are not. Why?
The answer, reported in the journal Science Advances, is that antibiotic resistance comes at a cost. While antibiotic resistance provides some advantages for the bacteria to survive, the team discovered that it’s also linked with a physiological limitation that hinders potential dominance.
This fact, the researchers note, potentially could be exploited to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance.
“We discovered an Achilles heel of antibiotic resistant bacteria,” said Süel, a member of the Department of Molecular Biology at UC San Diego. “We can take advantage of this cost to suppress the establishment of antibiotic resistance without drugs or harmful chemicals.”
Spontaneous mutations of DNA arise in all living cells, including those within bacteria. Some of these mutations lead to antibiotic resistance. Süel and his colleagues focused on physiological mechanisms related to ribosomes, the micro machines within cells that play a key role in synthesizing proteins and translating genetic codes.
Credit: Ashley Moon, Süel Lab, UC San Diego
All cells rely on charged ions such as magnesium ions to survive. Ribosomes are dependent upon magnesium ions since this metal cation helps stabilize their structure and function.
However, atomic-scale modeling during the new research found that mutant ribosome variants that bestow antibiotic resistance excessively compete for magnesium ions with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules, which provide energy to drive living cells. Mathematical models further showed that this results in a ribosome versus ATP tug-of-war over a limited supply of magnesium in the cell.
Studying a ribosome variant within Bacillus subtilis called “L22,” the researchers found that competition for magnesium hinders the growth of L22 more than a normal “wild type” ribosome that is not resistant to antibiotics. Hence, the competition levies a physiological toll linked to mutant bacteria with resistance.
“While we often think of antibiotic resistance as a major benefit for bacteria to survive, we found that the ability to cope with magnesium limitation in their environment is more important for bacterial proliferation,” said Süel.
This newly discovered weakness can now be used as a target to counteract antibiotic resistance without the use of drugs or toxic chemicals. For example, it may be possible to chelate magnesium ions from bacterial environments, which should selectively inhibit resistant strains without impacting the wild type bacteria that may be beneficial to our health.
“We show that through a better understanding of the molecular and physiological properties of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we can find novel ways to control them without the use of drugs,” said Süel.
In October, Süel and colleagues at the University of Chicago announced a separate approach to combating the antibacterial-resistant bacteria health crisis. Their development of a bioelectronic device that taps into the natural electrical activity of certain bacteria found on our skin paves the way for another drug-free approach to managing infections.
The advancement was proven to reduce the harmful effects of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common bacterium known for causing hospital-acquired infections and contributing to antibiotic resistance. In both studies, the researchers used charged ions to control bacteria.
“We are running out of effective antibiotics and their rampant use over the decades has resulted in antibiotics being spread across the globe, from the arctic to the oceans and our groundwater,” said Süel. “Drug-free alternatives to treating bacterial infections are needed and our two most recent studies show how we can indeed achieve drug-free control over antibiotic resistant bacteria.”
The authors of the new study were: Eun Chae Moon, Tushar Modi, Dong-yeon Lee, Danis Yangaliev, Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo, S. Banu Ozkan and Gürol Süel.
More information: Eun Chae Moon et al, Physiological cost of antibiotic resistance: Insights from a ribosome variant in bacteria, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq5249. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq5249
Journal information: Science Advances

News
Breakthrough for long Covid patients who lost sense of smell
A breakthrough nasal surgery has restored the sense of smell for a dozen long Covid patients. Experts at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust successfully employed a technique typically used for correcting blocked nasal passages, [...]
Scientists Invent Plastic That Can Dissolve In Seawater In Just A Few Hours
Plastic waste and pollution in the sea have been among the most serious environmental problems for decades, causing immense damage to marine life and ecosystems. However, a breakthrough discovery may offer a game-changing solution. [...]
Muscles from the 3D printer
Swiss researchers have developed a method for printing artificial muscles out of silicone. In the future, these could be used on both humans and robots. Swiss researchers have succeeded in printing artificial muscles out [...]
Beneficial genetic changes observed in regular blood donors
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have identified genetic changes in blood stem cells from frequent blood donors that support the production of new, non-cancerous cells. Understanding the differences in the mutations that accumulate [...]
Shocking Amounts of Microplastics in the Brain – It Could Be Increasing Our Risk of Dementia
The brain has higher concentrations of plastic particles compared to other organs, with increased levels found in dementia patients. In a comprehensive commentary published in Brain Medicine, researchers highlight alarming new evidence of microplastic accumulation [...]
Baffling Scientists for Centuries: New Study Unravels Mystery of Static Electricity
ISTA physicists demonstrate that contact electrification depends on the contact history of materials. For centuries, static electricity has intrigued and perplexed scientists. Now, researchers from the Waitukaitis group at the Institute of Science and [...]
Tumor “Stickiness” – Scientists Develop Potential New Way To Predict Cancer’s Spread
UC San Diego researchers have developed a device that predicts breast cancer aggressiveness by measuring tumor cell adhesion. Weakly adherent cells indicate a higher risk of metastasis, especially in early-stage DCIS. This innovation could [...]
Scientists Just Watched Atoms Move for the First Time Using AI
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking AI-driven technique that reveals the hidden movements of nanoparticles, essential in materials science, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. By integrating artificial intelligence with electron microscopy, researchers can now visualize atomic-level changes that were [...]
Scientists Sound Alarm: “Safe” Antibiotic Has Led to an Almost Untreatable Superbug
A recent study reveals that an antibiotic used for liver disease patients may increase their risk of contracting a dangerous superbug. An international team of researchers has discovered that rifaximin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic [...]
Scientists Discover Natural Compound That Stops Cancer Progression
A discovery led by OHSU was made possible by years of study conducted by University of Portland undergraduates. Scientists have discovered a natural compound that can halt a key process involved in the progression [...]
Scientists Just Discovered an RNA That Repairs DNA Damage – And It’s a Game-Changer
Our DNA is constantly under threat — from cell division errors to external factors like sunlight and smoking. Fortunately, cells have intricate repair mechanisms to counteract this damage. Scientists have uncovered a surprising role played by [...]
What Scientists Just Discovered About COVID-19’s Hidden Death Toll
COVID-19 didn’t just claim lives directly—it reshaped mortality patterns worldwide. A major international study found that life expectancy plummeted across most of the 24 analyzed countries, with additional deaths from cardiovascular disease, substance abuse, and mental [...]
Self-Propelled Nanoparticles Improve Immunotherapy for Non-Invasive Bladder Cancer
A study led by Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in South Korea details the creation of urea-powered nanomotors that enhance immunotherapy for bladder cancer. The nanomotors [...]
Scientists Develop New System That Produces Drinking Water From Thin Air
UT Austin researchers have developed a biodegradable, biomass-based hydrogel that efficiently extracts drinkable water from the air, offering a scalable, sustainable solution for water access in off-grid communities, emergency relief, and agriculture. Discarded food [...]
AI Unveils Hidden Nanoparticles – A Breakthrough in Early Disease Detection
Deep Nanometry (DNM) is an innovative technique combining high-speed optical detection with AI-driven noise reduction, allowing researchers to find rare nanoparticles like extracellular vesicles (EVs). Since EVs play a role in disease detection, DNM [...]
Inhalable nanoparticles could help treat chronic lung disease
Nanoparticles designed to release antibiotics deep inside the lungs reduced inflammation and improved lung function in mice with symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease By Grace Wade Delivering medication to the lungs with inhalable nanoparticles [...]