Fig. 2. Auranofin restores the susceptibility of MBL-positive bacteria to carbapenem.

a, b Representative heat plots of microdilution checkerboard assays for the combination of MER and AUR against (a) NDM-1-positive E. coli and (b) NDM-1-negative E. coli. c Time-kill curves for MER or AUR monotherapy or their combination therapy against NDM-HK during 24-h incubation. The concentrations of MER and AUR are used at 16 μg·mL⁻¹ and 30 μg·mL⁻¹, respectively. Data are presented as mean values ± SEM, n = 3 biologically independent samples. d Isobolograms of the combination of MER and AUR against different MBL-positive bacterial strains. The green dash line indicates ideal isobole, where drugs act additively and independently. Data points below this line indicate synergism. e Resistance acquisition curves during serial passage with the subinhibitory concentration of MER or the combination of MER and AUR against NDM-HK. MIC test was performed every two passages. f Bar chart showing MPI indices of MER in the presence of increasing concentration of AUR against NDM-HK. a, b Data in a and b represent the mean OD₆₀₀ of two biological replicates. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.