160-million-year-old proteins show surprising power against superbugs

Researchers have successfully resurrected antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from ancient mammalian ancestors that lived approximately 160 million years ago. By utilizing computational techniques to infer the protein sequences of these extinct organisms, the team synthesized the peptides and tested their efficacy against modern drug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs. The study revealed that several of these ancient proteins exhibited significantly higher potency in neutralizing antibiotic-resistant pathogens compared to their contemporary human counterparts. This breakthrough suggests that evolutionary history may hold untapped solutions for the growing global crisis of antibiotic resistance. By studying the immune strategies utilized by prehistoric mammals, scientists believe they can develop novel therapeutic approaches for treating modern infections that no longer respond to conventional medical treatments.