(Malacidin – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Malacidins are a class of chemicals made by bacteria found in soil that kill Gram-positive bacteria. Their activity appears to be dependent on calcium. The discovery of malacidins was published in 2018.[2]
The malacidin family were discovered using a new method of soil microbiome screening, which allowed researchers to identify genetic components necessary to produce the chemical. Malacidin A was shown to kill Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive bacteria.
At the time of the publication it was not certain if the discovery would lead to any new antibiotic drugs because large investments of time and money are required to determine if a drug is safe and effective.[3]