This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs has the potential to become a global health crisis. This problem has necessitated an explosion of research to discover new drug targets as well as synthetic antibiotics. While this tactic is essential to stay ahead of the evolution of antibiotic resistant organisms, it is also important to combat the resistance process. Bacteria can acquire resistance to antibiotics through chromosomal mutations and high rates of resistance-conferring chromosomal mutations are at least partially due to pathways induced to repair damaged DNA caused either directly or indirectly by the antibiotic. Unlike other antimicrobial peptides currently being studied, we are looking for peptides that reduce the mutability of bacteria as opposed to killing the bacteria. Once identified, these peptides could potentially serve as antibiotic additives and could be used to reduce the evolution rate of bacteria regardless of the molecular target of the drug.
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