The Honam National Institute of Biological Resources (HNIBR), under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE), has identified a novel peptide using artificial intelligence (AI) technology that effectively inhibits antibiotic-resistant Salmonella and shows therapeutic potential in treating inflammatory bowel disease.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that differ structurally and functionally from conventional antibiotics. As biologically derived molecules, they perform diverse physiological roles in the body, including cell signaling, immune regulation, and tissue repair.

The study was conducted through a collaborative effort involving the HNIBR's Advanced Research Center for Island Wildlife Biomaterials, Professor Cho Nam-ki's team at the College of Pharmacy at Chonnam National University, the peptide research team at Insilicogen, and the Functional Platform Research Group at the Korea Food Research Institute.

The research is part of an initiative to secure omics-based big data and peptide resources derived from island wildlife. The initiative is one of the Multi-Ministerial Project for Advancement for National Biological Research Resources, administered by the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, and has been implemented since 2023 by the Advanced Research Center for Island Wildlife Biomaterials.

Using large-scale genetic data obtained from island and coastal wildlife, the research team applied AI-based analytics to identify peptide candidates predicted to exhibit strong antimicrobial activity. These predictions were subsequently validated through sequential experiments, enabling the rapid and precise identification of a promising therapeutic candidate compared with conventional discovery approaches.

Infectious colitis caused by Salmonella is a common disease affecting both humans and livestock. However, treatment has become increasingly challenging with the rising prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. In livestock, such infections can reduce productivity through growth retardation, poor feed efficiency, increased mortality, and higher biosecurity costs. Existing treatment strategies that rely on the combined use of multiple antibiotics have shown limited effectiveness.

The study demonstrated that the AI-discovered peptide effectively alleviated intestinal inflammation caused by Salmonella infection. The peptide also regulated the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and protected the intestinal mucosa. As a result, the reduction rate of Salmonella-induced intestinal disease reached 89.17%, surpassing that of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (87.78%).

The President of HNIBR stated, "This study offers a promising alternative for treating intestinal diseases that are becoming increasingly difficult to manage due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The discovery of a peptide derived from island and coastal wildlife through AI-based approaches highlights a new direction for overcoming current limitations in drug development. We will continue to expand its potential applications and pursue further research toward commercialization."