Bacteria frozen for thousands of years could hold the key to developing new antibiotics, researchers have found.
Scientists have discovered a new strain of bacteria hidden in a 5,000-year-old Romanian ice cave that could play an "essential" role in tacklingantibiotic resistant superbugs.
The study, published in the journalFrontiers in Microbiology, found the bacteria known as Psychrobacter SC65A.3 contained genes that could potentially kill or stop the growth of common antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The discovery could pave the way for developing new treatments to combat the growing risk of drug-resistant bacteria, which are responsible for more than one million deaths a year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr Cristina Purcarea, one of the study's authors, said the bacteria showed "significant potential" for drug manufacturers as it contains genes that can "inhibit the growth of several major antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs'".
"They produce unique enzymes and antimicrobial compounds that could inspire new antibiotics, industrial enzymes and other biotechnological innovations," she said.
Psychrobacter SC65A.3 is a strain of Psychrobacter bacteria, which are adapted to cold environments. Some species can cause infections in both humans or animals.
Able to inhibit E. coli and MRSA
The research team from Bucharest drilled a 25-metre ice core from an area of Romania's Scarisoara ice cave known as the Great Hall, which contains one of the oldest and largest underground glaciers in the world.
The ice fragments taken from the core, which are up to 13,000 years old, were placed in sterile bags and kept frozen on their way back to the lab to avoid contamination.
The research team isolated various bacterial strains from the sample and sequenced their genomes to determine which genes confer antimicrobial resistance and activity.
In the Psychrobacter SC65A.3 genome, they found 11 genes that are potentially able to kill or stop the growth of 14 bacteria, fungi and viruses.
They include genes that inhibit MRSA, a bacteria picked up from contaminated surfaces that can cause skin infections, and E. coli, a common cause of food poisoning.
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Other genes also helped to combat a range of pathogens that causeurinary tract infections(UTIs).
Such potential is becoming ever more important in a world where antibiotic resistance has become a "global crisis", according to Dr Purcarea.
One in six bacterial infections are nowresistant to common antibiotics, according to the WHO, making illnesses such as UTIs and sexually transmitted diseases including gonorrhoea increasingly difficult to treat.
In addition to the 11 anti-microbial genes, the researchers also found almost 600 genes with unknown functions, suggesting a yet untapped source of potential for manufacturing new drugs.
Ice caves are only one of the extreme environments hosting a wide range of microorganisms that have not yet been studied extensively.
Researchers said that bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of earth's most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero.
Double-edged sword
Dr Purcarea told The Telegraph: "Extreme environments like Polar regions, ice caves and alpine glaciers are important reservoirs of microbial communities that can produce special biomolecules with unique structures and activities, including antimicrobial agents effective against a variety of pathogens."
The new bacterial strain represents a double-edged sword, however, as it also showed resistance to existing antibiotics.
The researchers found the SC65A.3 strain was resistant against 10 antibiotics across eight classes that are routinely used to treat bacterial infections.
They included rifampicin, cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones, which are used to treat diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), colitis, and UTIs.
Dr Purcarea said: "If melting ice releases these microbes, these genes could spread to modern bacteria, adding to the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
"These ancient bacteria are essential for science and medicine, but careful handling and safety measures in the lab are essential to mitigate the risk of uncontrolled spread."
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