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RETRACTED ARTICLE: A two-pronged attack on antibiotic-resistant microbes

Isoprenoid molecules are essential in many disease-causing microorganisms, and intermediates made during their synthesis trigger immune-defence responses by γδ T cells. ‘Immunoantibiotics’ exploit this dual vulnerability.
  1. Youcef Mehellou

    1. Youcef Mehellou is in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK.

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  2. Benjamin E. Willcox

    1. Benjamin E. Willcox is at the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.

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The emergence of strains of harmful microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotic treatment is a major global health concern. This has prompted ongoing drug-development efforts, including the identification of possible biological targets linked to essential microbial processes. However, the clinical development of drugs is slow, and the emergence of resistance to newly developed compounds remains a continuing problem. Finding alternative ways to tackle the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is of paramount importance. Writing in Nature, Singh et al.1 outline a two-pronged strategy to address this challenge.

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Nature 589, 517-518 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03660-z

Updates & Corrections

  • Retraction 27 September 2021: In view of the fact that the authors of the article ‘IspH inhibitors kill Gram-negative bacteria and mobilize immune clearance’ (K. S. Singh et al. Nature 589, 597–602; 2021) are retracting their report, the authors of this News & Views wish to retract their article, which dealt with this study and was based on the accuracy and reproducibility of the data in the study.

References

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