New Antibiotic that Kills Drug-Resistant Bacteria Discovered in Technician’s Garden
April 4th, 2025Via: Nature:
Researchers have discovered a new antibiotic molecule that targets a broad range of disease-causing bacteria — even strains resistant to commercial drugs — and is not toxic to human cells.
The molecule was found in soil samples collected from a laboratory technician’s garden. The discovery shows that “there is terrifically interesting stuff hiding in plain sight”, says Kim Lewis, a microbiologist at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, who was not involved in the research. “Kudos to them that they knew what to look for.”
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Wright and his colleagues set out to find microbes that have developed previously unknown tricks to kill pathogens. They collected soil samples in Petri dishes with growth medium and stored them for a year. The researchers then exposed the microbes from these samples to Escherichia coli, a common gut bacterium that can cause serious disease.
One sample showed potent antibacterial activity — by a species belonging to the genus Paenibacillus.
More: New Class of Antibiotics Discovered
