MRSA Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about MRSA, including details on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

A novel chromatography system to isolate active ribosomes from pathogenic bacteria.

Maguire BA, Wondrack LM, Contillo LG, Xu Z

Department of Exploratory Medicinal Sciences, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Groton, Connecticut 06340, USA. Bruce.Maguire@pfizer.com

We have developed a novel chromatography for the rapid isolation of active ribosomes from bacteria without the use of harsh conditions or lengthy procedures that damage ribosomes. Ribosomes interact with an alkyl linker attached to the resin, apparently through their RNA component. Examples are given with ribosomes from Escherichia coli, Deinococcus radiodurans, and with clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The ribosomes obtained by this method are unusually intact, so that highly active ribosomes can now be isolated from the clinical isolates, enabling significantly improved in vitro functional assays that will greatly assist the discovery and development of new ribosomally targeted antibiotics.

Published 18 December 2007 in RNA, 14(1): 188-95.
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