Researchers at the Frankfurt University Hospital have discovered how a disease-causing bacterium attaches itself to its host cell.

The scientists examined this process using the example of Bartonella henselae (photo), the causative agent of cat scratch disease, which can also be transmitted to humans.

Sasha Zoske

Sheet maker in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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Together with international colleagues, they discovered that certain docking proteins of the bacteria - so-called adhesins - interact with the protein fibronectin, which is frequently found in human tissue.

The adhesin class recognized as decisive here also occurs in other pathogens such as the multi-resistant germ Acinetobacter baumannii.

In the experiment, the docking process was almost completely blocked.

The researchers therefore hope that a new class of antibiotics can now be developed with which multi-resistant bacteria in particular can be better combated.