{
  "id": 3320956,
  "title": "Scientists resurrect ancient proteins, offering new antibiotic leads",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/scientists-resurrect-ancient-proteins-offering-new-antibiotic-leads",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-25T18:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-scientists-resurrect-ancient-proteins-antibiotic.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have brought back to life protein fragments estimated to be up to 160 million years old, revealing potential new solutions for antibiotic-resistant infections. Researchers from the University of Oregon reconstructed these prehistoric peptides, which are fragments of proteins, dating back to the earliest placental mammals - a lineage that includes humans and nearly all mammals alive today. These ancient peptides demonstrated higher potency against drug-resistant bacteria than their modern counterparts in laboratory tests.\n\nThe lead author, Matt Barber, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oregon's College of Arts and Sciences, highlighted the ongoing threat of antibiotic resistance. He emphasized the importance of discovering new antimicrobial treatments through the study of ancient proteins. One such protein, lactoferrin, found in nearly all body fluids, plays a crucial role in immune defense by sequestering iron and possessing antimicrobial properties.\n\nThrough a technique called ancestral sequence reconstruction, researchers were able to infer the most likely sequences of common ancestors for these peptides, tracing back about 160 million years. When synthesized and tested, these ancient peptides exhibited varying degrees of antimicrobial activity, with more recent ancestors showing stronger effects. This improvement was attributed to a single mutation in the protein's amino acid chain.\n\nWhile the development of new drugs using these extinct antimicrobial peptides may not be immediate due to their structural instability, understanding their evolution offers valuable insights for designing future treatments. As pathogenic bacteria continue to evolve resistance to existing antibiotics, studying the natural selection and enhancement of antimicrobial peptides provides a promising avenue for developing more effective and resilient therapies.",
  "summary": "University of Oregon biologists have resurrected prehistoric proteins up to 160 million years old that carry natural antimicrobial properties. The revived molecules could inspire the design of new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, a pressing global health issue.",
  "key_points": [
    "Scientists resurrected ancient proteins up to 160 million years old.",
    "These prehistoric peptides showed higher potency against drug-resistant bacteria.",
    "Lactoferrin, an ancient protein, plays a crucial role in immune defense."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}