Domestic researchers have begun developing a treatment for super bacteria using a natural antibacterial substance derived from leeches.
Lee Seong-soo, a principal researcher at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), noted on the 25th that he, along with Professors Shin Song-yeop from Chosun University School of Medicine and Jo Seong-jin from Chungbuk National University Department of Biology, discovered a new antibacterial substance in the salivary glands of medicinal leeches using artificial intelligence (AI). The results of this study were published in the international journal "Advanced Science" on the 13th.
Super bacteria are high-risk bacteria that can cause infectious diseases. They arise from the overuse of antibiotics, and the existing treatments are ineffective, making the development of new alternative therapeutic substances urgent.
The research team focused on medicinal leeches as a potential solution. Medicinal leeches inject various components, including a protein called hirudin, which acts as an anticoagulant when feeding. The team first predicted 19 new natural antibiotic candidates that could be produced from the salivary glands of medicinal leeches using AI. They then analyzed the structural stability, antibacterial properties, and anti-inflammatory characteristics of these candidates. Afterward, they introduced these candidate substances into living super bacteria and used 3D holographic tomography technology to observe the actual antibacterial effects in real-time.
While traditional holographic tomography technology could only analyze one substance at a time, this study introduced a high-speed analysis technology (ODT-HTS) that can analyze multiple substances simultaneously, enabling concurrent discovery of new antibacterial substances and verification of their effects. The analysis also examined whether the substances could eliminate the biofilm, which is a protective layer that super bacteria produce.
The experimental results showed that three substances exhibited actual antibacterial effects, among which "Hirunipin 2" demonstrated the most outstanding performance. The research team confirmed through 3D imaging that this substance inhibits the survival of super bacteria and destroys biofilms.
Principal researcher Lee Seong-soo stated, "This study is an innovative research that suggests the possibility of developing treatments for resistant bacteria by combining the domestic natural resource databases and Korean 3D holographic tomography technology," adding that "it could be widely utilized in future antibiotic development and super bacteria research."
References
Advanced Science (2025), DOI : https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202409803