New class of antibiotics discovered for first time in decades

Teams at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada and the University of Illinois, Chicago - led by researcher Gerry Wright - collaborated in the discovery of lariocidin, which was found to be effective against drug-resistant bacteria.

The results were published this week in the journal Nature.

Lariocidin is a lasso peptide, a string of amino acids in a lasso shape that attacks bacteria and keeps it from growing and surviving, according to a McMaster press release.

Paenibacillus was found to produce a new substance that attacks antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The molecule has a unique structure of a "knotted lasso or a pretzel."

"Lariocidin binds to the molecular machine, the ribosome, that makes all the cellular proteins, which is one of the most vital processes in the cells," the researchers said. 

"It binds to a specific site in the ribosome to which none of the known antibiotics bind, and stops the ribosome from making proteins."

Another key benefit of lariocidin is that it's not toxic to human cells, the researchers noted.

"The antibiotic resistance crisis that we're currently facing represents a major threat to how we practice medicine," the researchers told Fox News Digital.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, applauded the discovery.

"This new kind of antibiotic - lariocidin - works by interfering with protein synthesis that many bacteria need to survive."

Siegel reiterated that a new class of antibiotics hasn't emerged in decades - "in part because they aren't that profitable, as you only need them when sick."

If this microbe were brought to market as an antibiotic, it would mean millions fewer deaths from bacterial infections each year, according to Vogel.

"Garden soil may seem mundane, but it's in fact its own universe of microbes, fungi and bacteria, which can lead to key innovations like the promise that this discovery brings," he added.

"This discovery is just the starting point of a long process of developing this molecule into a drug," the researchers told Fox News Digital. 

The researchers added that science is sometimes "serendipitous."

"You often have to shovel a lot of dirt before you find a gem, which lariocidin certainly is. Therefore, funding 'dirt shoveling' is critical for finding new gems."