Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem, and there is a growing need for tools and strategies to slow or stop the evolution of antibiotic resistance. A variety of bacteria were recovered from soil samples taken from Pollentia, an ancient Roman archeological site on the island of Mallorca (Spain). Since the bacteria were obtained from soils known to range between about 125 BC to the third century AD, compounds made by the recovered actinomycetes may represent unique antibiotics. Antibiotic activity is being analyzed against gram negative and gram positive bacteria and cell cultures. Structures of compounds with antibiotic activity are being identified.

Actinomycete antibiotic compounds from soil bacteria at an ancient Roman site

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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