AI solved a bacterium recognized as a threat to humanity in 15 minutes
The algorithm selected the correct peptide CIT8 from over 14,000 options
In less than 15 minutes, the quantity of *Acinetobacter baumannii* in the laboratory dropped from 50 million to a level that could not be detected. The bacterium causes severe infections in hospitals and does not respond to many antibiotics, including carbapenems.
CIT8 is a chain of 13 amino acids. At 4 µg/ml, the peptide was effective against 15 out of 16 clinical isolates. A dose of 20 µg/ml allowed the bacteria to be destroyed faster than polymyxin B, which required between 30 minutes and two hours.
By targeting the cell membrane, CIT8 disrupts its electrical potential and causes ATP leakage. No toxicity to human skin cells or renal epithelial cells was detected in tests at concentrations 32 times higher than the therapeutic dose. Next, scientists need to determine the peptide's stability in biological fluids and its effects in a living organism; it is still premature to discuss human treatment.
