Investigating Antibiotics From Within the Earth

The emergence of antibiotic resistance is an ever-growing threat, especially among ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species), which pose a serious threat to the health of the public. In this study, bacterial samples within local soil will be extracted and screened for possible antibiotic properties, specifically against the alternative safe-ESKAPE pathogens (Enterobacter aerogenes, Acinetobacter baylyi, Pseudomonas putida, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis). Soil is home to a diverse ecosystem of microorganisms. These organisms in the soil were isolated, and one isolate showed inhibition against the safe-eskape E. faecalis. These findings show potential for the discovery of new antibiotics.