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Ancient bacteria found to be immune to antibiotics
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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A group of scientists in a remote cave in the American state of New Mexico have discovered a previously unknown species of bacteria that has been living in complete isolation from the outside world for at least the last 4 million years. Inside the 200-kilometer cave, in the place where the bacteria were found, there is a closed ecosystem and its own microclimate. According to experts, what is surprising is not only the fact that the bacteria have been in a closed system for 4 to 7 million years, but also that they are completely immune to antibiotics.
Experts say that the bacteria found have their own mechanism for blocking antibiotics, the study of which will help to understand the features of the natural mechanisms of resistance of some bacteria and microbes to antibiotics. Researchers note that the huge cave has its own microbiome regime, which for millions of years has affected the genome of microorganisms, making them resistant to antibiotics.
According to the authors of the study, only 4-6 people who collected samples in the cave had direct contact with resistant ancient bacteria. In total, scientists found 93 different types of bacteria in the cave, many of which are resistant to antibiotics. Currently, experts cannot give a clear answer to the question of which factor was the driver of mutations.
On the other hand, experts dismiss the idea that by studying new cave bacteria, it is possible to create a new class of more powerful antibiotics that will differ from modern drugs in their greater versatility.
The article says that a number of the bacteria discovered have a rare property called extensive multidrug resistance, making these bacteria unresponsive to modern medicines. Experts are confident that such features, which indicate that the "cave bacteria" are unlike their more common relatives, are a side effect of their autonomous existence and isolated evolution.
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