The work was led by a team from the Bucharest Institute of Biology of the Romanian Academy. Scientists studied the bacterium Psychrobacter SC65A.3, extracted from an ice core drilled at a depth of 25 m in the so-called Great Hall of the cave.
Despite its ancient origins, the bacterium has proven resistant to many modern antibiotics and contains more than 100 genes associated with drug resistance. At the same time, it is capable of suppressing the growth of a number of dangerous “superbugs” and possesses enzymes that are potentially useful for medicine and biotechnology.
According to microbiologist Cristina Purcarea, this makes the find both promising and alarming. On the one hand, such microorganisms can suggest new approaches to the creation of antibiotics. On the other hand, when they spread, they are able to transfer resistance genes to other bacteria.
The study also raises the issue of climate change: melting ancient ice could release dormant microorganisms, returning them to the modern ecosystem. Scientists emphasize the need for urgent and comprehensive research on microbes from cold environments to harness their potential before they become a new threat to human health.
