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Stinky frog leads to powerful antibiotic that's easy on the gut
In seeking new antibiotic sources, researchers have turned to an unlikely source: a whiffy frog known as Odorrana andersonii. By unclumping a compound it produces naturally, they've found a potential gut-friendly ally in the fight against superbugs.
So the group turned to Odorrana andersonii, a frog that is most commonly found in South Asia and emits a strong odor to deter predators. To solve this, the researchers used a process called "structure-guided design" in which they made tiny changes to the peptide's chemical structure until they found a form that resisted clumping and could hold therapeutic promise. "We are excited that frogs – and nature in general – can inspire new molecules that could be developed into antibiotics," said study co-author Cesar de la Fuente, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science.
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