Bug surprise for drug traffickers - Microbiology Today: May 2004 issue

21 May 2004

Bacteria could be the new weapon in the fight against drug trafficking, according to an article published in the May 2004 issue of Microbiology Today, the quarterly magazine for the Society for General Microbiology. Researchers at CNAP, University of York, have found bacteria that grow on heroin and morphine and believe that two special proteins from these bugs could be used to detect heroin.

"This is hugely important", explains Professor Neil Bruce of CNAP, "since the need for a rapid, hand-held detection system for use by Customs officers has never been greater."

The team have also found bacterial proteins that can be used to treat drug overdoses, while other proteins were found to improve the production of morphine-like painkillers.

Microbes have long been associated with drugs and this issue of Microbiology Today takes a look at the close relationship that microbes have with a wide range of drugs - from narcotics to antimicrobials. The introduction of antibacterial agents, chemical disinfectants and antiseptics, had already made significant improvements in public health, long before the famous discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in the 1920's. Later developments brought antiviral and antifungal drugs, and studies of the immune system highlighted the promise offered by host defence peptides. Now genomics is helping in the quest for new drugs.

Other features in the May 2004 issue of Microbiology Today include:
· Antimicrobials - where next? (page 55)
· Antiviral drugs - a short history of their discovery and development (page 58)
· Live and let die (page 62)
· New drugs by manipulating Streptomyces genes (page 64)
· Host defence peptides (page 70)
· Structural pathogenomics (page 74)
· Cold rush for drugs? (page 112)

These are just some of the articles that appear, together with all the regular features and reports of Society activities.

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