Scientists at the University of Glasgow have discovered an amino acid produced in the human brain that could help prevent or treat infection from E. coli O157.
Through the study of the genome sequence of 1,500 strains of E. coli, scientists discovered high concentrations of the particular amino acid block the bacteria from attaching to host tissue.
There are many strains of E. coli developing resistance to traditional antibiotics according to lead researcher Dr. Andrew Roe.
If bacteria can be disarmed instead of killed, Roe says it puts less pressure on the bacteria to evolve into something that is resistant to treatment.
