FUNCTIONAL METAGENOMICS REVEALS ANTIBIOTIC BIOSYNTHESIS IN THERMOPHILIC CYANOBACTERIA FROM SAUDI HOT SPRINGS

Thermophilic cyanobacteria thrive in hot springs, particularly at temperatures between 45C and 73C. The remarkable and largely unexplored diversity of these photoautotrophic prokaryotes (Faiz et al., 2024) suggests the existence of novel biochemical pathways and unique bioactive compounds. Meanwhile, the global spread of antibiotic resistance, driven by excessive antibiotic use in medicine, agriculture, and veterinary practice, poses a serious public health threat (Sachin et al., 2024). In this context, metagenomic analysis provides a powerful approach to explore microbial communities in extreme environments and uncover new therapeutic candidates (Jiao et al., 2024).