Antibiotic Resistance
“P. aeruginosa is an especially resistant gram negative bacterium. It has a gram negative envelope that does not allow for many antibiotics to get inside of the cell and the formation of biofilms help protect it by encasing it in a protective alginate polysaccharide. However, it also has
unique methods of coping with new antibiotics. Most antibiotics cannot enter P. aeruginosa because of its lipopolysaccharide layer, and the few who can have to use channels called porins (which are barrel shaped proteins that allow for molecules to cross the membrane) to enter. However, even when these antibiotics, such as beta-lactams, enter the cell P. aeruginosa produces proteins, such as beta-lactamase, which then
degrades the antibiotics. P. aeruginosa has four different antibiotic efflux systems that get rid of any antibiotics that enter the cell before the antibodies can have any effect (Lambert 2002).” (Jake Burns, 16/5/2010, http://microbiologyspring2010.wikispaces.com/Hospital+Killers+Pseudomonas+aeruginosa)
unique methods of coping with new antibiotics. Most antibiotics cannot enter P. aeruginosa because of its lipopolysaccharide layer, and the few who can have to use channels called porins (which are barrel shaped proteins that allow for molecules to cross the membrane) to enter. However, even when these antibiotics, such as beta-lactams, enter the cell P. aeruginosa produces proteins, such as beta-lactamase, which then
degrades the antibiotics. P. aeruginosa has four different antibiotic efflux systems that get rid of any antibiotics that enter the cell before the antibodies can have any effect (Lambert 2002).” (Jake Burns, 16/5/2010, http://microbiologyspring2010.wikispaces.com/Hospital+Killers+Pseudomonas+aeruginosa)