Australian researchers from Monash University and collaborators employed artificial intelligence (AI) to design a novel protein that inhibits heme piracy by pathogenic Escherichia coli, a mechanism critical for bacterial survival. Using de novo protein design methods, the team generated several binders that block the ChuA outer membrane transporter responsible for heme acquisition, effectively inhibiting bacterial growth at low nanomolar concentrations. This work, published in Nature Communications, incorporates structural modeling, cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, and mutagenesis analyses. The study demonstrates the potential of AI-driven protein engineering to develop targeted antibacterial agents against resistant pathogens.