New Medicines from Microbes of the Oceans

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered a fungus that produced a chemical capable of killing bacteria, marking the start of antibiotics. Since then, antibiotics have been found in various microorganisms and plants, transforming infectious disease treatment. Microorganisms and plants also yield medicines for conditions like cancer. However, bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics, posing a future challenge for treating infections and necessitating ongoing discovery of new antibiotics.

Historically, soil microorganisms like Streptomyces and fungi have been major sources of antibiotics, but repeated screening often rediscovers known compounds. Exploring non-soil microorganisms may uncover truly new antibiotics. Oceans cover 70% of the globe and 95% of the biosphere, hosting microorganisms adapted to salt, high pressure, and low nutrients. They also contain halogens like bromide and iodine, suggesting marine bacteria produce different chemicals from terrestrial ones. Therefore, exploring marine bacteria for novel antibiotics and drugs is a growing research and commercial area.