Reviving ancient molecules to combat contemporary bacteria

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify extinct molecules that could potentially fight modern bacteria. By training an AI app to identify peptides produced by early human relatives such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, the team synthesized and tested these molecules against bacteria. While the peptides showed promise in slowing or stopping bacterial growth, they did not kill the bacteria. However, the researchers believe that further research using their approach could lead to the development of more effective antibiotics.