Gut of stick insect may hold key to antibiotic resistance

London: Researchers have found that a microbe in the gut of a stick insect could help unravel the puzzle of antibiotic resistance.

The Giant Lime Green stick insect, which feeds mainly on eucalyptus leaves, is being studied at the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich.

In the laboratory it has shown resistance to toxins and infections it could never have encountered before, the BBC reported.

This indicates a general mechanism at work and understanding this could lead to new drugs, JIC scientists believe.

Scientists at JIC are confident studying natural processes will reveal new antibiotics.

ANI