2015-018 – High-throughput Fluorescent Screening Assay for Inhibitors of Gram-Negative Iron Transport

Researchers at Kansas State University have developed a novel fluorescence spectroscopic high‐throughput screening assay to help companies andacademic researchers identify new antibiotics to use against Gram‐negative bacteria. Thisassay finds molecules that block bacterial iron transport and inhibits the Gram‐negativebacteria from being able to utilize iron uptake in the host, person or animal, making themill. Gram‐negative bacteria, of certain types, are becoming resistant to antibiotic drugs. This is agreat concern because as available antibiotics are no longer effective against the Gram‐negative bacteria, treatment options become limited or nonexistent. Without treatment,there is a threat of increased illnesses and even deaths.The National Institute for Healthand the U.S. Public Health Service have focused part of their antibiotic research on thesegram‐negative resistant bacteria, specifically on the CRE/ESKAPE* pathogens. *CRE – Carbapenem‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae; ESKAPE – Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus,Klebsiella pneumonia, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter Caronda Moore caronda@ksu.edu 785-532-1366