Oysters could help combat antibiotic resistance

The answer to fighting a growing number of superbugs may be in the water. Researchers in Australia have pinpointed a protein found in oysters as a way to make antibiotics more effective. As infections rise and become harder to fight, finding new sources of antimicrobials will be more important than ever.

Breaking bacteria shells

Oysters contain an antimicrobial protein in their liquid that is similar to blood, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS One. This protein, called hemolymph, was found by researchers to be "effective at killing the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which mainly causes pneumonia, and Streptococcus pyogenes, the culprit for strep throat and scarlet fever," although it has not yet been tested on humans and animals, said The Guardian. The protein was discovered in the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata), native to Australia and New Zealand.

Many bacteria, like S. pneumoniae, are able to evade antibiotics by forming a "biofilm," or a community of "microorganisms that attach themselves to surfaces in a sticky, protective matrix," said Popular Science. Hemolymph was effective at killing the bacteria on its own, and "when paired up with antibiotics, the protein also helped improve their effectiveness against other infection-causing bacteria," said Smithsonian Magazine. Scientists believe the protein is successful because it disrupts the bacteria's biofilm. The protein was also found to be non-toxic to human lung cells.

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Since the majority of antibiotics used today — as well as those currently in development — come from natural sources, scientists are always on the hunt for new sources. "Most organisms have natural defense mechanisms to protect themselves against infection," Kirsten Benkendorff, a marine scientist at Australia's Southern Cross University and the study coauthor, said in a statement. "Oysters are constantly filtering bacteria from the water, so they are a good place to look for potential antibiotics."

The world is our oyster

Antibiotic resistance has become a growing problem in public health. Bacteria are becoming more resistant due to the high number of infections, especially of the respiratory tract, and the overuse of antibiotics to treat them. This has led the microorganisms to evolve into stronger superbugs. Coupled with the ability to form a biofilm, infections are becoming much harder to kill. A 2024 study predicted that by 2050, approximately 2 million people, mostly 70 and over, could die from drug-resistant infections each year. "Because of this, new antibiotic treatments that can inhibit, disrupt or penetrate biofilms are very valuable," said Benkendorff and Kate Summer, another coauthor of the PLOS One study, at The Conversation.

While hemolymph shows promise, "more work is needed, including testing in animals and clinical human trials," said Benkendorff and Summer. "Sustainable supply of the proteins for research and medical use is an important consideration, but this is helped by the fact [that] Sydney rock oysters are commercially available." This research also presents an opportunity for collaboration between the pharmaceutical and aquaculture industries. "Given the significant costs in developing new medicines, the idea of using excess and/or imperfect oysters to generate a sustainable supply of antimicrobial proteins" should be "investigated further," Branwen Morgan, a researcher at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, said to The Guardian.