Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and McMaster University have used artificial intelligence (AI) to discover how a new antibiotic works against harmful gut bacteria. Their research could help create better and safer drugs to fight infections in the future.
The new antibiotic, called enterololin, was tested on mice with gut inflammation similar to Crohn’s disease. The drug was able to stop harmful E. coli bacteria without harming good bacteria that help digestion. Most antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, which can cause side effects, but enterololin works more precisely.
To understand how this antibiotic works, the researchers used an AI tool known as DiffDock. This AI program helps scientists predict how a drug connects with bacterial proteins. Normally, it can take years of experiments to find out how a new antibiotic functions, but with AI, the process took only a few months.
The AI suggested that enterololin targets a protein group called LolCDE, which helps bacteria move lipoproteins inside their cells. When this process is blocked, the bacteria cannot survive. Laboratory tests confirmed the AI’s prediction by studying gene changes and using CRISPR editing on bacterial samples.
Dr. Jon Stokes, one of the lead researchers, said that AI can help scientists quickly understand how new antibiotics work. This is important because many bacteria are becoming resistant to existing drugs. He added that knowing exactly what a drug does helps researchers design safer and more effective treatments.
Professor Regina Barzilay from MIT said that AI is not just useful for finding new compounds, but also for explaining how they act inside bacteria. This combination of AI prediction and lab testing could make antibiotic discovery much faster.
The new antibiotic has been licensed to a startup company named Stoked Bio, which plans to improve the drug and test it against other dangerous bacteria. Human trials may take place in the future.
Experts believe that using AI could lead to a new generation of “smart” antibiotics that attack only harmful germs and protect healthy ones. This could be a big step forward in fighting antibiotic resistance around the world.
