Bacteria frozen in ice cave found to be resistant against 10 modern antibiotics
7 days ago
- #antibiotic resistance
- #biotechnology
- #ancient bacteria
- Bacteria frozen in a 5,000-year-old underground ice cave show resistance to 10 modern antibiotics.
- The bacterial strain, Psychrobacter SC65A.3, carries over 100 resistance-related genes and can inhibit 'superbugs'.
- Researchers found the strain has promising enzymatic activities and biotechnological potential.
- The study highlights the importance of ancient bacteria in understanding antibiotic resistance evolution.
- Melting ice could release resistant bacteria, posing a risk of spreading resistance genes to modern bacteria.
- The genome of Psychrobacter SC65A.3 contains nearly 600 genes with unknown functions, indicating untapped biological potential.
- The findings emphasize the dual role of ancient bacteria as both a threat and a resource for new antibiotics and biotech innovations.