Future research could attempt to find medications that will alter the flexibility of the protein. Studies of TetR family repressor mutants showed that proteins with a mutation leading to unfolding in the N-terminus allowed the repressor to remain bound to the DNA even in the presence of tetracycline. In this way, creating drugs that target the SmeT protein structure may reduce the bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics. Further, venturing away from quinolones and developing antibiotics that do not have aromatic ring structure could be another avenue of research. Using multiple antibiotics may be something physicians will soon need to resort to more often as well.
