A groundbreaking study published in Nature Microbiology reveals that ancient microbes called Archaea may hold the key to combating antibiotic resistance. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to identify previously unknown compounds in Archaea that could fuel the development of next-generation antibiotics.
Led by César de la Fuente, a Presidential Associate Professor in Bioengineering and Chemistry, the team applied AI models to analyze the proteins of hundreds of ancient microbes, uncovering 12,000 potential antibiotic candidates. These molecules, dubbed “archaeasins,” were found to differ from known antimicrobial peptides in their distribution of electric charge.
In tests against a range of disease-causing bacteria, 93% of the 80 archaeasins surveyed demonstrated antimicrobial activity. The researchers then selected three archaeasins to test in animal models, with one demonstrating activity comparable to polymyxin B, an antibiotic commonly used as a last-line of defense against drug-resistant infections.
The discovery offers new hope for addressing the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, which is becoming increasingly challenging due to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. The researchers believe that Archaea’s unique biology and ability to thrive in extreme environments make them a promising source of novel molecular tools.
While further studies are needed to enhance APEX and predict antibiotic candidates based on their structure, this research marks an exciting step towards developing new antibiotics from unconventional sources. With the world facing an unprecedented crisis in bacterial resistance, scientists are turning to innovative approaches like those employed by de la Fuente’s team to combat this pressing health threat.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1094213