Revitalizing actinobacteria research: an urgent response to the antimicrobial resistance crisis

TL;DR

This paper argues for renewed research into actinobacteria to combat the growing antibiotic resistance crisis.

Contribution

The paper highlights declining actinobacteria research and proposes modern tools to revive antibiotic discovery.

Findings

Research on antibiotic discovery has declined while AMR research has increased.

Actinomycetota research has sharply decreased since the mid-20th century.

Modern tools like genomics and AI can help rediscover actinobacteria's biosynthetic potential.

Abstract

The crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is escalating while the antibiotic pipeline remains stagnant. Our bibliometric analysis of eight decades of literature reveals a critical imbalance: research on AMR has grown, yet fundamental research on antibiotic discovery has declined. Most strikingly, research attention to Actinomycetota, the source of most clinical antibiotics, has sharply decreased since its mid-twentieth-century peak. This therapeutic disinvestment coincides with the intensifying AMR crisis. We argue for a strategic reinvestment in natural product discovery, now enabled by advances in genomics, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology. These tools can unlock the vast, silent biosynthetic potential of actinobacteria, transforming discovery into a targeted and efficient endeavor. Rebalancing research priorities by coupling this historically proven source with modern technology is essential to revive the antibiotic pipeline. We urge funding agencies and industry to bridge the growing gap between a well characterized problem and a neglected solution.

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