Researchers have used artificial intelligence to identify 25 new protein compounds that can kill bacteria and fungi, including two that showed particular potency against skin and lung infections in mice.
The results, published in Science Advances on Feb. 5, suggest that AI could be used to generate new drugs in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
The two star antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are called AMP-24 and AMP-29. When given to mice with skin or lung infections of the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, AMP-24 reduced levels of the bacteria and lessened inflammation and scarring in the lungs. A. baumannii is known to spread through healthcare settings, where it can infect vulnerable patients, and is known to develop antibiotic resistance, according to the CDC.
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