5,000-year-old bacteria found in Romanian ice cave

Scientists have isolated a bacterial strain about 5,000 years old from a layer of ice in the Scarisoara cave in Romania. The study showed that the ancient bacterium is Psychrobacter SC65A.3 It is resistant to a number of modern antibiotics. This was reported by Popular Science magazine on February 17.

"A strain of Psychrobacter SC65A bacteria isolated from the Scarishoara ice cave.3, despite its ancient origin, demonstrates resistance to many modern antibiotics and contains more than 100 genes associated with resistance," said Dr. Cristina Purcarea, co—author of the study, a microbiologist from the Bucharest Institute of Biology of the Romanian Academy of Sciences.

At the same time, according to her, the bacterium is able to suppress the growth of some antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" and has enzymatic activity with biotechnological potential.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve and stop responding to medications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019.

Scientists drilled an ice core about 25 m deep in a cave hall known as the Great Hall. The ice is said to reflect a chronology of up to 13,000 years. The samples were transported under sterile conditions, then the strains were isolated and their genomes were sequenced. Strain SC65A.3 were tested for resistance to 28 antibiotics from 10 classes. He proved to be resistant to 10 widely used drugs.

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The bacterium also became the first known strain of the genus Psychrobacter resistant to trimethoprim, clindamycin and metronidazole. The resistance profile indicates that microorganisms capable of surviving in extreme cold may be reservoirs of resistance genes.

However, the researchers warned about the risks. Purkarea emphasized that when micro-genomes are released during the melting of ice, their genes can spread among modern bacteria and increase the global problem of antibiotic resistance. However, the discovery has a positive side: the ancient genome contains almost 600 genes with unknown functions and 11 genes potentially capable of suppressing the growth of bacteria, fungi and viruses. This can help in the development of new antibiotics and biotechnological solutions.

"These ancient bacteria are essential for science and medicine, but careful handling and safety measures in the laboratory are essential to reduce the risk of uncontrolled spread," concluded Purkarea.

On February 3, Arkeonews magazine reported the discovery of a Bronze Age tomb in the ancient trading center of Cyprus, Hala Sultan Tekke. It was clarified that the age of the find, preserved almost in its original form, is almost 3 thousand years old.

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