African fungus-growing plant-ant Tetraponera penzigi tagged posts

New Antibiotic from Bacteria found on Kenyan Ant could help Beat MRSA

1. African Acacia Vachellia drepanolobium tree houses Tetraponera ant colonies inside hollow domatia. Formicamycins, antibacterial polyketides produced by Streptomyces formicae isolated from the plant-ants can combat MRSA

African Acacia Vachellia drepanolobium tree houses Tetraponera ant colonies inside hollow domatia. Formicamycins, antibacterial polyketides produced by Streptomyces formicae isolated from the plant-ants can combat MRSA

A new antibiotic, produced by bacteria found on a species of African ant, is very potent against antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’ like MRSA. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and t

he John Innes Centre (JIC) discovered a new member of the Streptomyces bacteria family, isolated from the African fungus-growing plant-ant Tetraponera penzigi. They have named the new species Streptomyces formicae and the antibiotics formicamycins, after the Latin formica, meaning ant.

Lab tests have shown these new antibiotics are effective against methicillin resistant Staphyloc...

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