Novel camel antimicrobial peptides show promise against drug-resistant bacteria
2026-02-22
(Press-News.org)
February 16, 2026—Antimicrobial resistance poses a growing global health crisis, with few new antibiotics in development. Researchers at Sultan Qaboos University have identified three novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from dromedary camels that effectively target multidrug-resistant bacteria, offering potential alternatives to conventional drugs.
Published in Frontiers in Immunology (Volume 17, 21 January 2026), the study combined bioinformatics predictions with experimental validation, including colony-forming assays, membrane permeability tests, and electron microscopy on strains like MRSA and MDR E. coli.
Peptides CdPG-3 and CdCATH demonstrated strong antibacterial activity across Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, causing membrane damage and leakage without high toxicity to camel or human red blood cells at lower doses.
Camels' robust innate immunity, including these cathelicidin-like AMPs, may explain their resistance to infections common in other ruminants. "This lays the foundation for exploring camel AMPs as therapeutics against resistant pathogens," note the authors.
Unlike traditional antibiotics prone to resistance via target mutations, AMPs disrupt bacterial membranes broadly, reducing adaptation risks. The peptides showed low hemolytic activity in relevant species, supporting safety for further development.
Future research will optimise these AMPs for clinical use, leveraging Oman's camel resources.
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – When you scratch an itch, something tells your brain when to stop. That moment of relief, when scratching feels “enough,” is not accidental. Scientists have now identified a key molecular and neural mechanism behind this built-in braking system, shedding new light on how the body regulates itch and why this control fails in chronic conditions. The research will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.
In a new study from the laboratory of Roberta Gualdani, professor at the University of ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – Proteins long known to be essential for hearing have been hiding a talent: they also act as gatekeepers that shuffle fatty molecules across cell membranes. When this newly discovered function goes haywire—due to genetic mutations, noise-induced damage, or certain medications—it may be what kills the delicate sensory cells in our ears, causing permanent hearing loss. The research will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.
Deep inside our ears, specialized ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – Scientists have uncovered an elegant biophysical trick that tuberculosis-causing bacteria use to survive inside human cells, a discovery that could lead to new strategies for fighting one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.
Tuberculosis kills more than a million people each year and remains a major public health crisis, particularly in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The disease is caused by mycobacteria, which have evolved sophisticated ways to hijack human immune cells ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – Scientists have developed a new imaging technique that uses a novel contrast mechanism in bioimaging to merge the strengths of two powerful microscopy methods, allowing researchers to see both the intricate architecture of cells and the specific locations of proteins—all in vivid color and at nanometer resolution.
The breakthrough, called multicolor electron microscopy, addresses a longstanding challenge in biological imaging: scientists have traditionally had to choose between seeing fine ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – The tiny fatty capsules that delivered COVID-19 mRNA vaccines into billions of arms may work better when they’re a little disorganized. That’s the surprising finding from researchers who developed a new way to examine these drug-delivery vehicles one particle at a time—revealing that cramming in more medicine doesn't always mean better results. The research will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.
Lipid nanoparticles, or LNPs, are microscopic bubbles of fat that can ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – As space agencies prepare for human missions to the Moon and Mars, scientists need to understand how the absence of gravity affects living cells. Now, a team of researchers has built a rugged, affordable microscope that can image cells in real time during the chaotic conditions of zero-gravity flight—and they’re making the design available to the broader scientific community.
The research, previously published in npj Microgravity, will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.
“We know that astronauts’ cellular ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – Denis V. Titov, of the University of California, Berkeley, USA will be honored as the recipient of the Biophysical Journal Paper of the Year-Early Career Investigator Award at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, held February 21-25 in San Francisco, California. This award recognizes the work of outstanding early career investigators in biophysics. The winning paper is titled “Glycolysis Model Shows that Allostery Maintains High ATP and Limits Accumulation of Intermediates.” The paper was published in Volume 124, Issue 10 of Biophysical Journal.
Glycolysis ...
2026-02-21
BETHESDA, MD – When you step outside on a winter morning or pop a mint into your mouth, a tiny molecular sensor in your body springs into action, alerting your brain to the sensation of cold. Scientists have now captured the first detailed images of this sensor at work, revealing exactly how it detects both actual cold and the perceived cool of menthol, a compound derived from mint plants. The research will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.
The study focused on a protein channel called TRPM8. “Imagine TRPM8 as a microscopic thermometer inside your body,” said Hyuk-Joon Lee, ...
2026-02-21
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new molecule which carries DNA into biological cells, to treat or vaccinate against illnesses. Many existing options rely on molecules with a strong positive charge, which can cause harmful inflammation. The team overcame this by using a neutral molecule and a new method to bind DNA to it, making it possible to deliver DNA into cells. Successful experiments in mice promise new, more effective therapies.
Over the last few decades, scientists have developed new treatments which deliver genetic information into cells. ...
2026-02-21
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — A new study revealed that certain brain regions are more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during cognitively demanding tasks. The findings could help inform new ways in which the condition is treated and assessed.
The study, published in Imaging Neuroscience, was conducted by researchers in the laboratory of Theresa Desrochers, an associate professor of brain science and of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University’s Carney Institute for Brain Science.
Desrochers studies abstract sequential behavior, which is behavior — such ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Novel camel antimicrobial peptides show promise against drug-resistant bacteria
