Scientists discover novel compounds in Arctic marine bacteria that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections and pave the way for next-generation treatments. Study: Bioprospecting of inhibitors of EPEC virulence from metabolites of marine actinobacteria from the Arctic Sea . Image Credit: Risto Raunio / Shutterstock Antibiotics are the linchpin of modern medicine: without them, anyone with open wounds or needing surgery would be at constant risk of dangerous infections.
Yet, we continue to face a global antibiotic crisis as more and more resistant strains of bacteria evolve. In contrast, the discovery rate of fundamentally new antibiotics has been much slower. New Hope from Unexplored Environments But there is reason for hope: 70% of all currently licensed antibiotics have been derived from actinobacteria in the soil, and most environments on Earth have not yet been prospected for them.
Thus, focusing the search on actinobacteria in other habitats is a promising strategy—especially from unexplored environments like the Arctic Sea—especially if this were to yield novel molecules that neither kill bacteria outright nor stop them from growing but only reduce their 'virulence' or capacity for causing disease. This is because it is hard for targeted pathogenic strains to evolve resistance under these conditions, while such antivirulence compounds are also less likely to cause unwanted side effects. The Arctic Sea off Svalbard, viewed from the research vessel Kronprins Haako.