Discovery of Antimicrobial Activity in Extracts from Unexplored Algal-Bacterial Cultures

Science now seeks to tap into the latent abilities of marine algae and bacteria to devise remedies for fighting off infections. This pioneer research draws samples from both algal farms and their natural marine habitat with a view to observing the production of compounds having antibacterial and antifungal properties by such microorganisms. From these, for example, the team derived 77 different mixtures with which they screened against such dire pathogens as the common toxic bacterium Escherichia coli, the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans, an infecting fungus.

Results were encouraging: about one-third of the mixtures tested showed promising activity in inhibiting the growth of these pathogens. Thus, this indicates that algae-bacteria interactions are a rich source of bioactive compounds serving as natural antibiotics. In light of the increase in infections caused by antibiotic-resistant microbes, such findings are an important step toward the development of new, sustainable medicines.

This work shows the potential of nature-inspired strategies in trying to tackle one of humanity’s greatest health challenges by unlocking the secrets of marine ecosystems.

 

Full text: Carolyn L. Fisher, Hailey C. Loehde-Woolard, Pamela D. Lane, Catherine M. Mageeney & Todd W. Lane, Discovery of antimicrobial activity in chemical extracts derived from unexplored algal-bacterial culture systems and isolates, Scientific Reports, 2024, 14, 31710, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82056-9