Thank you for visiting nature. com. Your current browser version has limited support for CSS. For the best experience, we recommend using a more up-to-date browser or disabling compatibility mode in Internet Explorer. In the meantime, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript to ensure continued support. Researchers in bioengineering have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to revive dormant molecules. Cesar de la Fuente, a bioengineer at the University of Pennsylvania, explained that their motivation stems from the idea of resurrecting molecules from the past to address present problems. The study, published in Cell Host & Microbe, highlights the need for new antibiotics as the development of such treatments has significantly decelerated over the past few decades. Many of the antibiotics currently prescribed have been on the market for over 30 years, while antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to emerge.

To combat this challenge, the researchers turned to the antimicrobial properties of peptides, short protein subunits produced by various organisms. By leveraging an AI algorithm, they identified sites on human proteins where peptides are typically generated and searched for potential antimicrobial peptides in the protein sequences of Homo sapiens, Homo neanderthalensis, and Denisovans. The AI-assisted approach allowed for quicker candidate discoveries, with testing taking weeks instead of the typical three to six years required using conventional methods. Eventually, the team identified six peptides capable of inhibiting the growth of the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii in laboratory dishes and animal models. Although further refinement is necessary, the study introduces a new avenue for drug discovery in the form of molecular de-extinction. The concept has piqued interest among experts, but challenges remain in predicting clinically relevant peptides with a higher degree of success. Nevertheless, the work represents a promising approach in the field of antibiotic development, which has been relatively understudied. [Study reference: Maasch et al. , Cell Host Microbe]