Suppression of bacterial cell death underlies the antagonism between ciprofloxacin and tetracycline

ABSTRACT: Antibiotic combinations aim to maximise drug treatment efficiency and minimise resistance evolution, but a full understanding of their effect on bacterial cells is lacking. The interaction between the DNA-targeting antibiotic ciprofloxacin and the translation inhibitor tetracycline is antagonistic, resulting in a weaker effect on bacterial growth than expected from each drug individually. Whilst this antagonism has been analysed at the population level, it has not been investigated at the single-cell level. We used a microfluidic device to quantify the antagonism between ciprofloxacin and tetracycline in single bacterial cells under three nutrient conditions. Improved growth results from increased survival of cells under the drug combination compared to ciprofloxacin alone. This effect dep

SUBMITTER: James Broughton 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44320-025-00162-W | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other