Scots study targets hospital bugs

The research could lead to new ways of combating the bugs

Researchers say they have made a discovery which could help combat potentially deadly bugs like Clostridium difficile and MRSA.

Scientists from the universities of St Andrews and Aberdeen have worked out a key mechanism which protects bacteria against internal pressure.

They said this could lead to new ways of killing the bugs.

The teams said it may be possible to use the discovery in hospital cleaning equipment or to make food safer.

The two teams were led by Professor James Naismith of St Andrews University and Professor Ian Booth of Aberdeen University.

Their discovery centres on the fact that bacteria have tiny channels in their walls which can release pressure if it gets too great.

If the channel did not open to relieve pressure the bacteria would explode and die.

'Amazing discovery'

Professor Naismith said being able to see the motion was "an amazing discovery" which "could pave the way for the development of new drugs against bacteria".

He added: "New chemicals designed to force channels to stay open or shut are likely to kill, or at the very least greatly slow down, the growth of bacteria."

Professor Booth said: "The future path is to find new chemicals and processes that exploit the importance of the channels to these bacteria."

The research has been published by the journal Science.