Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42586063›Full record

ArticleCell reports. Medicine2026

Discovery of antimicrobial peptides from incomplete biosynthetic gene clusters to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Yao Tang, Xin Cheng, Jing Zhou, Yuqi Shi, Jiaying Zhou, Zaiyang Chen, Yan Zhang, Liucun Zhu, Jian-Qun Chen, Jiang Gu and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports. Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Yao TangMOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Faculty of Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
Xin ChengNational Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Jing ZhouThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
Yuqi ShiThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
Jiaying ZhouMOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Faculty of Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
Zaiyang ChenThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
Yan ZhangDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
Liucun ZhuMOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Faculty of Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. Electronic address: zhuliucun@shu.edu.cn.
Jian-Qun ChenThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China. Electronic address: chenjq@nju.edu.cn.
Jiang GuNational Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: jianggu2012@163.com.
Qiang WangThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China. Electronic address: wangq@nju.edu.cn.
Qihan ChenMOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Faculty of Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China. Electronic address: lyonchen@um.edu.mo.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The escalating crisis of multidrug-resistant bacteria necessitates innovative antibiotic discovery platforms. Conventional antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mining often relies on complete biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), leaving fragmented genomic resources underexplored. Here, we present an evolution-inspired approach to reconstruct and predict AMPs from partial BGCs. Applying this strategy to 954 Paenibacillus genomes identifies five polymyxin-like peptides, NP001-NP005, with broad in vitro activity. Crucially, in murine models of polymyxin-resistant infection, NP001 reduced bacterial burdens by up to 1,000-fold in a thigh infection model and improved survival (50% vs. 0%) in a lethal peritonitis model. Structural simulations and biophysical assays revealed that NP001 maintains high affinity for bacterial membranes and effectively binds to MCR-1-modified lipid A, a key colistin-resistance mechanism. Moreover, Leu at position 10 of NP001 plays a key role in antibacterial activity against MCR-1-resistant bacteria. Our work establishes a generalizable framework for AMP discovery and introduces a promising therapeutic candidate, NP001, which effectively counteracts polymyxin-resistant pathogens.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsAntimicrobial PeptidesDrug Resistance, Multiple, BacterialMultigene FamilyAnimalsMiceMicrobial Sensitivity TestsPaenibacillusPolymyxinsAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntimicrobial PeptidesPolymyxinsantibiotic discoveryantimicrobial peptidemultidrug-resistant bacterianonribosomal peptidespolymyxin

Identifiers

PMID42586063
PMCPMC13589470

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.