Application of iChip to grow “uncultivable” microorganisms and its impact on antibiotic discovery

Abstract

Purpose. Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine, allowing significant progress in healthcare and improvement in life expectancy. Development of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria is a natural phenomenon; however, the rate of antibiotic resistance emergence is increasing at an alarming rate, due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics in healthcare, agriculture and even everyday products. Traditionally, antibiotic discovery has been conducted by screening extracts of microorganisms for antimicrobial activity. However, this conventional source has been over-used to such an extent that it poses the risk of “running out” of new antibiotics. Aiming to increase access to a greater diversity of microorganisms, a new cultivation method with an in situ approach called iChip has been designed. The iChip has already isolated many novel organisms, as well as Teixobactin, a novel antibiotic with significant potency against Gram-positive bacteria.