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Scientists Develop Synthetic Viruses to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

Prime Highlight

  • Researchers created fully synthetic bacteriophages using digitally designed DNA to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
  • The method allows viruses to be safely and quickly reprogrammed for targeted treatments.

Key Facts

  • A complete bacteriophage genome was assembled from 28 synthetic DNA fragments outside living cells.
  • The research targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dangerous, drug-resistant bacterium.

Background

Scientists have created a new method to build completely synthetic viruses that can help fight infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This breakthrough lets researchers design and reprogram bacteriophages, viruses that target bacteria, using digital DNA instead of using natural viruses.

Teams from New England BioLabs (NEB) and Yale University are studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dangerous germ that resists many antibiotics. Using a computer-based approach, scientists designed the virus’s genetic code and then assembled it in the laboratory from scratch.

Unlike traditional methods, which depend on finding and modifying natural bacteriophages, the new technique builds the virus outside a living cell. Researchers used NEB’s High-Complexity Golden Gate Assembly platform to join 28 short synthetic DNA fragments into a complete bacteriophage genome. The team also showed that they could easily reprogram the virus by making small, precise changes to its DNA.

Andy Sikkema, research scientist at NEB and co-first author of the study, said the method improves safety, speed, and simplicity. He said the approach could open new doors for biological research and the development of targeted treatments against drug-resistant infections.

The breakthrough comes at a time when antibiotic resistance is becoming a bigger global problem. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently warned people not to misuse antibiotics during his Mann Ki Baat address. He stressed that taking antibiotics without a doctor’s advice or not finishing prescribed courses can increase antimicrobial resistance.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has also reported that antibiotics are losing effectiveness against common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Dr Neeraj Nischal of AIIMS Delhi warned that antibiotic misuse today could lead to untreatable infections in the future.

Experts say synthetic virus technology could become a vital tool in tackling antimicrobial resistance, offering hope where antibiotics are failing.