Correction: Membrane-active macromolecules resensitize NDM-1 gram-negative clinical isolates to tetracycline antibiotics.

Gram-negative 'superbugs' such as New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (blaNDM-1) producing pathogens have become world's major public health threats. Development of molecular strategies that can rehabilitate the 'old antibiotics' and halt the antibiotic resistance is a promising approach to target them. We report membrane-active macromolecules (MAMs)that restore the antibacterial efficacy (enhancement by >80-1250 fold) of tetracycline antibiotics towards blaNDM-1 Klebsiella pneumonia and blaNDM-1 Escherichia coli clinical isolates.Organismic studies showed that bacteria had an increased and faster uptake of tetracyclinein the presence of MAMs which is attributed to the mechanism of re-sensitization. Moreover,bacteria did not develop resistance to MAMs and MAMs stalled the development of bacterial resistance to tetracycline. MAMs displayed membrane-active properties such as dissipation of membrane potential and membrane-permeabilization that enabled higher uptake of tetracycline in bacteria. In-vivo toxicity studies displayed good safety profiles and preliminary in-vivo antibacterial efficacy studies showed that mice treated with MAMs in combination with antibiotics had significantly decreased bacterial burden compared to the untreated mice. This report of re-instating the efficacy of the antibiotics towards blaNDM-1 pathogens using membrane-active molecules advocates their potential for synergistic co-delivery of antibiotics to combat Gram-negative superbugs.

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This article was republished on April 8, 2015, to correct figures that were distorted during the production process. The publisher apologizes for the error. Please download this article again to view the correct version. The originally published, uncorrected article and the republished, corrected article are provided here for reference.

Originally published, uncorrected article.

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Republished, corrected article.

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