Latest news with #Paenibacillus
Scroll.in
11-05-2025
- Health
- Scroll.in
Antibiotic resistance is millions of years old – modern medicine could learn from this history
Antibiotics are widely considered one of the most important advances in the history of medicine. Their introduction into clinical practice during the 1940s marked a major milestone in the control of infectious diseases, and these medicines have since improved human health and prolonged life expectancy. Today, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a global threat, and presents a major challenge to medicine. Antibiotics' extensive and often indiscriminate use in medicine, veterinary clinics and agriculture has created the ideal conditions for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to emerge. However, this phenomenon is older than previously thought. Bacteria already had resistance mechanisms long before the discovery and introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice. This indicates that antibiotic resistance is a much more complex, widespread and deep-rooted ancestral evolutionary phenomenon than initially assumed. Studies have documented antibiotic resistance mechanisms in micro-organisms isolated from natural habitats, where human influence is minimal or non-existent. These environments include deep underground layers and the ocean floor, as well as ancient environments such as isolated caves and permafrost. Interestingly, many of the resistance mechanisms described in these untouched environments – whose origins date back thousands or even millions of years – are similar or even identical to those observed in present-day pathogenic bacteria. This suggests that the conservation and transmission of resistance mechanisms throughout evolution provides a selective advantage. Surviving in the ice The resistance genes found in permafrost samples from 30,000 years ago bear a striking resemblance to those found today. These strains were as resistant as more modern ones that have been observed to resist β-lactam antibiotics, tetracyclines and vancomycin. Staphylococcus strains resistant to aminoglycosides and β-lactams have also been isolated from 3.5 million year old permafrost samples. There are even older examples, such as Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, USA, an environment considered isolated for 4 million years. Nevertheless, a 2016 study found Streptomyces and Paenibacillus bacteria in Lecheguilla that were resistant to most of the antibiotics used in clinical practice today. 'Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ' is the full name for a multidrug-resistant bacterium that causes serious infections. A 2022 study concluded that certain strains were resistant long before the use of this group of antibiotics – it was their adaptation to hedgehogs infected by similar antibiotic-producing fungi that gave them a survival advantage. An arms race to survive Research has revealed that competition for resources and adaptation to different habitats were key factors in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. In pre-drug environments, natural antibiotics not only played an ecological role in inhibiting the growth of competitors, but also supported the survival of producer species. In addition, very small amounts of antibiotics acted as communication molecules, influencing the interactions and balance of microbial communities. This dynamic environment favoured the evolution of defensive strategies in antibiotic-exposed micro-organisms, whether antibiotic-producing or co-existing. This, in turn, drove the diversification and spread of resistance mechanisms over time. However, the presence of these mechanisms in isolated, pre-antibiotic-era environments raises questions about how resistance has originated and spread throughout microbial evolution. The study of these processes is key to understanding their impact on the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Looking forward by looking backward It is now suggested that antibiotic resistance genes may have been transmitted first from environmental micro-organisms to human commensal organisms, and then to pathogens. This process of transfer from the environment to the human environment is random: the more prevalent a resistance mechanism is in the environment, the more likely it is to be transferred. Reservoirs of resistance in the environment can accelerate bacterial evolution towards multiple drug resistance under antibiotic pressure. It is therefore crucial to consider the vast diversity of these resistance genes within microbial populations when developing or implementing new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. As Winston Churchill said, 'the longer you can look back, the further you can look forward'. This reflection underlines the importance of studying the past in order to understand and anticipate future risks. Researching ancestral resistance not only provides information on the evolutionary history of resistance genes, it can also help us predict how they will evolve in the future. This knowledge allows us to anticipate potential resistance mechanisms, which improves our ability to meet future challenges in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Antibiotic resistance dates back millions of years, with important lessons for modern medicine
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Antibiotics are widely considered one of the most important advances in the history of medicine. Their introduction into clinical practice during the 1940s marked a major milestone in the control of infectious diseases, and these medicines have since improved human health and prolonged life expectancy. Today, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a global threat, and presents a major challenge to medicine. Antibiotics' extensive and often indiscriminate use in medicine, veterinary clinics and agriculture has created the ideal conditions for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to emerge. However, this phenomenon is older than previously thought. Bacteria already had resistance mechanisms long before the discovery and introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice. This indicates that antibiotic resistance is a much more complex, widespread and deep-rooted ancestral evolutionary phenomenon than initially assumed. Studies have documented antibiotic resistance mechanisms in micro-organisms isolated from natural habitats, where human influence is minimal or non-existent. These environments include deep underground layers and the ocean floor, as well as ancient environments such as isolated caves and permafrost. Interestingly, many of the resistance mechanisms described in these untouched environments – whose origins date back thousands or even millions of years – are similar or even identical to those observed in present-day pathogenic bacteria. This suggests that the conservation and transmission of resistance mechanisms throughout evolution provides a selective advantage. Surviving in the ice The resistance genes found in permafrost samples from 30,000 years ago bear a striking resemblance to those found today. These strains were as resistant as more modern ones that have been observed to resist β-lactam antibiotics, tetracyclines and vancomycin. Staphylococcus strains resistant to aminoglycosides and β-lactams have also been isolated from 3.5 million year old permafrost samples. There are even older examples, such as Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, USA, an environment considered isolated for 4 million years. Nevertheless, a 2016 study found Streptomyces and Paenibacillus bacteria in Lecheguilla that were resistant to most of the antibiotics used in clinical practice today. 'Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus' is the full name for a multidrug-resistant bacterium that causes serious infections. A 2022 study concluded that certain strains were resistant long before the use of this group of antibiotics – it was their adaptation to hedgehogs infected by similar antibiotic-producing fungi that gave them a survival advantage. An arms race to survive Research has revealed that competition for resources and adaptation to different habitats were key factors in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. In pre-drug environments, natural antibiotics not only played an ecological role in inhibiting the growth of competitors, but also supported the survival of producer species. In addition, very small amounts of antibiotics acted as communication molecules, influencing the interactions and balance of microbial communities. This dynamic environment favoured the evolution of defensive strategies in antibiotic-exposed micro-organisms, whether antibiotic-producing or co-existing. This, in turn, drove the diversification and spread of resistance mechanisms over time. However, the presence of these mechanisms in isolated, pre-antibiotic-era environments raises questions about how resistance has originated and spread throughout microbial evolution. The study of these processes is key to understanding their impact on the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Looking forwards by looking backwards It is now suggested that antibiotic resistance genes may have been transmitted first from environmental micro-organisms to human commensal organisms, and then to pathogens. This process of transfer from the environment to the human environment is random: the more prevalent a resistance mechanism is in the environment, the more likely it is to be transferred. Reservoirs of resistance in the environment can accelerate bacterial evolution towards multiple drug resistance under antibiotic pressure. It is therefore crucial to consider the vast diversity of these resistance genes within microbial populations when developing or implementing new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. As Winston Churchill said, 'the longer you can look back, the further you can look forward'. This reflection underlines the importance of studying the past in order to understand and anticipate future risks. Researching ancestral resistance not only provides information on the evolutionary history of resistance genes, it can also help us predict how they will evolve in the future. This knowledge allows us to anticipate potential resistance mechanisms, which improves our ability to meet future challenges in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en The Conversation, un sitio de noticias sin fines de lucro dedicado a compartir ideas de expertos académicos. Lee mas: M. Paloma Reche Sainz receives funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the National Plan PID2023-150116OB-I00, where she forms part of the research team. Rubén Agudo Torres receives funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation. He has previously received funding from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme. Sergio Rius Rocabert reveices funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the National Plan PID2023-150116OB-I00, where he forms part of the research team.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists discover first new class of antibiotics that could fight off drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers say they have discovered a new class of antibiotics that could treat drug-resistant bacteria, the first to reach the market in nearly three decades. The new molecule, called lariocidin, works by targeting a part of a bacteria's cell called the ribosome and can disrupt the cell's functions. "This is a new molecule with a new mode of action. It's a big leap forward for us," Gerry Wright, a professor at McMaster University in Canada and one of the corresponding authors of the study, said in a statement. Related Microplastics may make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics, researchers say Researchers discovered it by growing bacteria from soil in a backyard for approximately one year, according to their findings published in the journal Nature. They found that lariocidin is produced by the Paenibacillus bacteria, which was found in the soil. The researchers exposed the samples to E. coli, a common gut bacterium with strains that can cause serious disease. In addition to its action against bacteria, lariocidin also showed no toxicity to human cells. "Lariocidin has a broad spectrum of action as it is effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those identified as priorities by the World Health Organisation in the search for new antimicrobials due to their multi-drug resistance profile," Rafael Cantón, head of the microbiology department at the Madrid-based Ramón y Cajal Hospital, said in a statement. Cantón, who didn't take part in the study, also highlighted that the discovery of a completely new mechanism to target pathogens represents a "milestone in the fight against resistant bacteria". More research, including clinical trials, is necessary to confirm the compound's efficacy. Related Scientists discover the first new antibiotics in over 60 years using AI The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health threats. "Our old drugs are becoming less and less effective as bacteria become more and more resistant to them," Wright said. According to the WHO, around 4.95 million deaths globally are associated with AMR. In Europe and Central Asia, antimicrobial resistance causes 133,000 deaths each year, WHO's regional office in Europe has said. It has also been estimated to cost the European Union and Economic Area around €11.7 billion yearly due to productivity loss and healthcare expenditure.
Euronews
02-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Scientists discover first new class of antibiotics that could fight off drug-resistant bacteria
ADVERTISEMENT Researchers say they have discovered a new class of antibiotics that could treat drug-resistant bacteria, the first to reach the market in nearly three decades. The new molecule, called lariocidin, works by targeting a part of a bacteria's cell called the ribosome and can disrupt the cell's functions. "This is a new molecule with a new mode of action. It's a big leap forward for us," Gerry Wright, a professor at McMaster University in Canada and one of the corresponding authors of the study, said in a statement. Related Microplastics may make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics, researchers say Researchers discovered it by growing bacteria from soil in a backyard for approximately one year, according to their findings published in the journal Nature . They found that lariocidin is produced by the Paenibacillus bacteria, which was found in the soil. The researchers exposed the samples to E. coli, a common gut bacterium with strains that can cause serious disease. In addition to its action against bacteria, lariocidin also showed no toxicity to human cells. "Lariocidin has a broad spectrum of action as it is effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those identified as priorities by the World Health Organisation in the search for new antimicrobials due to their multi-drug resistance profile," Rafael Cantón, head of the microbiology department at the Madrid-based Ramón y Cajal Hospital, said in a statement. Cantón, who didn't take part in the study, also highlighted that the discovery of a completely new mechanism to target pathogens represents a "milestone in the fight against resistant bacteria". More research, including clinical trials, is necessary to confirm the compound's efficacy. Related Scientists discover the first new antibiotics in over 60 years using AI Antimicrobial resistance: a growing concern for public health The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health threats. "Our old drugs are becoming less and less effective as bacteria become more and more resistant to them," Wright said. According to the WHO, around 4.95 million deaths globally are associated with AMR. In Europe and Central Asia, antimicrobial resistance causes 133,000 deaths each year, WHO's regional office in Europe has said. It has also been estimated to cost the European Union and Economic Area around €11.7 billion yearly due to productivity loss and healthcare expenditure.
Euronews
01-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Researchers discover new molecule in soil sample that could help fight antimicrobial resistance
ADVERTISEMENT Researchers say they have discovered a new class of antibiotics that could treat drug-resistant bacteria. The new molecule, called lariocidin, works by targeting a part of a bacteria's cell called the ribosome and can disrupt the cell's functions. 'This is a new molecule with a new mode of action. It's a big leap forward for us,' Gerry Wright, a professor at McMaster University in Canada and one of the corresponding authors of the study, said in a statement. Researchers discovered it by growing bacteria from soil in a backyard for approximately one year, according to their findings published in the journal Nature . They found that lariocidin is produced by the Paenibacillus bacteria, which was found in the soil. The researchers exposed the samples to E. coli, a common gut bacterium with strains that can cause serious disease. Related Microplastics may make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics, researchers say In addition to its action against bacteria, lariocidin also showed no toxicity to human cells. 'Lariocidin has a broad spectrum of action as it is effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those identified as priorities by the World Health Organisation in the search for new antimicrobials due to their multi-drug resistance profile,' Rafael Cantón, head of the microbiology department at the Madrid-based Ramón y Cajal Hospital, said in a statement. Cantón, who didn't take part in the study, also highlighted that the discovery of a completely new mechanism to target pathogens represents a 'milestone in the fight against resistant bacteria'. More research, including clinical trials, is necessary to confirm the compound's efficacy. Antimicrobial resistance: a growing concern for public health The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health threats. 'Our old drugs are becoming less and less effective as bacteria become more and more resistant to them,' Wright said. Related Boosting immunisations could prevent 106,000 deaths from antibiotic resistance per year, study finds According to the WHO, around 4.95 million deaths globally are associated with AMR. In Europe and Central Asia, antimicrobial resistance causes 133,000 deaths each year, WHO's regional office in Europe has said. It has also been estimated to cost the European Union and Economic Area around €11.7 billion yearly due to productivity loss and healthcare expenditure.
