The immune system’s hidden arsenal: a new antibiotic discovered in human cells.

Israeli scientists have discovered a hidden defense mechanism within human cells that could revolutionize antibiotic development. Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science has found that proteasomes - cellular structures primarily responsible for protein recycling - can transform into antibacterial weapons when cells are infected. This process involves the proteosome breaking down old proteins and creating compounds that destroy bacterial cell walls, as demonstrated in experiments published in Nature. The proteasome has been shown to be effective against bacteria such as Salmonella and in lab settings, and against pneumonia and septicemia in mice. Professor Yifit Merbl describes the discovery as a new mechanism of immunity and a potential new class of natural antibiotics. While experts such as Professor Daniel Davis of Imperial College London agree that the findings are extremely interesting, they warn that more research is needed before this discovery can be translated into practical antibiotic treatments. This discovery offers hope in the battle against antibiotic resistance, which causes over a million deaths each year.