How tuberculosis bacteria change their ribosomes to resist antibiotics
Alternative Ribosomes & Antibiotic Tolerance in Mycobacteria
This work looks at how TB bacteria alter their protein-making machinery so they can survive common antibiotics used to treat people with tuberculosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wadsworth Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Menands, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143257 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are studying how changes in zinc make TB bacteria swap pieces of their ribosomes, the cell's protein factories. They use structural biology, bacterial genetics, animal models, and samples from chronic lung infections to see how these altered ribosomes bind a bacterial protein (Mpy) that blocks aminoglycoside antibiotics. The team maps exactly where drugs like streptomycin and kanamycin fail to bind and how that leads to resistance. Their goal is to reveal targets or strategies that could help future treatments work better against resistant TB.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with active pulmonary tuberculosis, especially those with chronic or aminoglycoside-resistant infections, would be the most relevant group for this research.
Not a fit: People without tuberculosis or with latent TB are unlikely to get direct benefit from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to make antibiotics work again against drug-resistant tuberculosis.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and structural studies have already shown ribosome remodeling and Mpy binding in TB, but turning those findings into new treatments has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
Menands, United States
- Wadsworth Center — Menands, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ojha, Anil Kumar — Wadsworth Center
- Study coordinator: Ojha, Anil Kumar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.