National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists have identified a promising lead for developing a new type of drug to treat infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that frequently resists traditional antibiotics. The researchers discovered a system used by S. aureus to transport toxins that are thought to contribute to severe staph infections. These toxins - called phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) - have gained much attention in recent years, but their multitude and diversity have hindered efforts to target them for drug development.
