Reconstructing ancient bacterial genomes can revive previously unknown molecules – offering a potential source for new antibiotics

Photo caption: Ancient DNA preserved in the tooth tartar of human fossils encodes microbial metabolites that could be the next antibiotic. Photo credit: Werner / Siemens Foundation. Article by Christina Warinner, Alexander Hübner and Pierre Stallforth. The Conversation – May 4, 2023.

Microorganisms – in particular bacteria – are skillful chemists that can produce an impressive diversity of chemical compounds known as natural products. These metabolites provide the microbes major evolutionary advantages, such as allowing them to interact with one another or their environment and helping defend against different threats. Because of the diverse functions bacterial natural products have, many have been used as medical treatments such as antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. […]

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