Discovery of new antimicrobial peptides in ant venoms

A joint study by the universities of Halle, Berlin, Tübingen, and Münster identifies formicitoxins as antifungal components for the first time, earning a spot on the cover of the prestigious journal Science Advances.

In a collaborative effort between the universities of Halle, Berlin, Tübingen, and Münster, researchers isolated formicitoxins from ants of the Formicinae subfamily and analyzed their bioactivity. The research group led by PD Dr. Fabian Herrmann at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry used atomic force microscopy to characterize the antifungal activity of several formicitoxins. This new class of antimicrobial natural products opens the door for the targeted development of future antifungal medications.

Link to the publication: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aed4078