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Characterizing antimicrobial activity of environmental Streptomyces spp. and oral bacterial and fungal isolates from Canis familiaris and Felis catus

Summary

Researchers collected bacteria and fungi from the mouths of pet dogs and cats, as well as environmental soil bacteria, to search for natural antimicrobial compounds. They found that some of these microorganisms produce substances that can kill harmful bacteria like E. coli and fungi like Candida albicans, especially when combined with existing antifungal medications. Notably, one environmental bacterium (Streptomyces) produced a compound that was even effective against fungal strains resistant to common antifungal drugs, suggesting promising new treatment possibilities.

Background

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant global health threat, necessitating the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds. Natural products from diverse microorganisms have historically been sources of antimicrobial agents. This study focuses on identifying antimicrobial activity from microbes in two distinct environments: oral cavities of domesticated animals and environmental Streptomyces isolates.

Objective

To screen microbial isolates from oral cavities of dogs and cats and environmental Streptomyces species for antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens, both alone and in combination with current antimicrobials. The study aimed to identify candidate compounds with potential antimicrobial properties.

Results

Three bacterial isolates from oral cavities showed antifungal activity against C. albicans in combination with fluconazole, while two isolates demonstrated antibacterial activity against E. coli. Two environmental Streptomyces isolates (WAC5038 and WAC5287) exhibited antifungal activity, with WAC5287 producing a compound with polyene-like characteristics. WAC5038 produced a novel compound with activity against amphotericin B-resistant C. albicans.

Conclusion

This work establishes a pipeline for identifying and characterizing antimicrobial-producing microbes from mammalian and environmental sources. The findings demonstrate that both domesticated animal microbiota and environmental Streptomyces represent valuable reservoirs for discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds with potential therapeutic applications against resistant pathogens.
  • Published in:mSphere,
  • Study Type:Observational/Screening Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40227049
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