Beewolves have been successfully using the same antibiotics for 68 million years

(Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology) A team of scientists from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena have now found that beewolves, unlike humans, do not face the problem of antibiotic resistant pathogens. These insects team up with symbiotic bacteria which produce up to 45 different antibiotic substances to protect their offspring against mold fungi. This antibiotic cocktail has remained surprisingly stable since the symbiosis emerged, about 68 million years ago.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 12, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: news