An international research team has discovered a new antibiotic in potatoes. Dubbed solanimycin, the discovery suggests that plant-based microorganisms might represent a rich source of antibiotics to which bacteria are not yet resistant.
Antibiotic medications are becoming increasing ineffective against bacterial infections, as their widespread use has enabled bacteria to evolve resistance to them. But most of the antibiotics prescribed today are derived from microbes found in soil and there others to be found elsewhere.