Chilean researcher Maria Soledad Pavlov is dedicated to identifying and characterizing superbugs found in Antarctica in order to create new antibiotics.
“We are trying to create an interesting biotech product from these Antarctic bacteria, which could fill a severe shortage of antibiotics,” Pavlov, who holds a bachelor degree in Marine Biology and is currently completing a PhD in Biotechnology, said in a press conference.
She explained that the excessive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria that are difficult to control with conventional medications. So, she added that in such scenario, Antarctic superbugs may play an important role.
Pavlov said that they have already analyzed more than 80 Antarctic soil samples and over 200 bacteria, some of which do not allow the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli.
Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes are violent pathogens causing food infections, whereas Escherichia coli can cause severe intestinal and urinary infections.
Pavlov said that she has spent five years studying this matter and has traveled twice to the white continent in search of samples, which are examined in the laboratory to isolate the bacteria and determine their antimicrobial potential.
She said that Antarctic territories have an “unexpected” microbiological value, because of its extreme weather conditions, allowing the development of a great biodiversity of microorganisms.
“Once we understand which genes are related to the antibacterial activity, the idea is to clone these genes in an expression vector to incorporate it into a bacterium easy to handle industrially” to create new antibiotics, she said.
Image Foundation Chile said that Pavlov’s research could have a major impact on global public health and added that Chile increased more than seven times the number of investigations in Antarctica over the past 13 years.
The Chilean expert developed her work in the Biotechnology Laboratory of the Catholic University of Valparaiso, with the support of the Chilean Antarctic Institute.
Source: Notimex
