Exploiting a Bacterial Drug‐Resistance Mechanism: A Light‐Activated Construct for the Destruction of MRSA

Abstract

A cunning and dangerous plan foiled! An enzyme-specific molecular construct exploits the overexpression of beta-lactamase in several drug-resistant bacteria. Specific photodynamic toxicity was detected towards beta-lactam-resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), whereby the usual mechanism for antibiotic resistance (cleavage of the beta-lactam ring) releases the phototoxic component from the prodrug (see picture; Q = quencher).