As bacteria increasingly outmaneuver antibiotics, scientists have turned to an unexpected source for new treatments human gut. Home to a diverse and competitive community of around 100 trillion microbes, the gut may harbor ingredients that can be used to combat disease.
Researchers in the United States analyzed the gut microbiomes of 1,773 people, examining 444,054 previously identified proteins for their potential as antibiotics. Of the 78 most promising candidates synthesized and tested in the lab, 70.5% demonstrated the ability to fight off harmful microbes, such as bacteria. These findings suggest that our guts could indeed be a rich source of substances capable of battling infections.
“We think of biology as an information source,” says César de la Fuente, a bioengineer from the University of Pennsylvania. “Everything is just code. And if we can come up with algorithms that can sort through that code, we can dramatically accelerate antibiotic discovery.”
One of the standout proteins discovered, prevotellin-2, showed bacteria-killing abilities on par with polymyxin B—a leading antibiotic currently used to treat infections that have developed resistance to multiple other drugs. This discovery highlights the potential of mining the human microbiome for new antimicrobial agents, offering hope for the development of innovative treatments.
Ami Bhatt, a physician-scientist from Stanford University, emphasizes the significance of these findings. “This suggests that mining the human microbiome for new and exciting classes of antimicrobial peptides is a promising path forward for researchers and doctors, and most especially for patients.”
While there is still much work to be done before these proteins can be converted into effective antibiotics, the early results are promising, particularly if they prove comparable to the ‘drugs of last resort’ currently in use. The identified proteins differ in composition from traditional antimicrobial molecules, potentially paving the way for entirely new approaches to developing these superbug killers.
Marcelo Torres, a bioengineer from the University of Pennsylvania, notes the significance of this discovery. “The compounds we have discovered constitute a new class, and their unique properties will help us understand and expand the sequence space of antimicrobials.”
Traditional antibiotic development is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, often relying on environmental sources. By tapping into the natural antimicrobial potential within the human gut, researchers like de la Fuente aim to find solutions more quickly a crucial need given the rapid rise of antibiotic resistance.
The researchers believe that the harsh and competitive environment of the gut, where bacteria must constantly evolve and adapt to survive, may have led to the development of potent antimicrobial tools that can be harnessed to fight other infections.
“It’s such a harsh environment,” says de la Fuente. “You have all these bacteria coexisting, but also fighting each other. Such an environment may foster innovation.”
The research has been published in the journal Cell, marking a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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