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Streptococcus pneumoniae as a genomics platform for broad-spectrum antibiotic discovery
John I Glass1, Aimee E Belanger, Gregory T Robertson
1Infectious Diseases Research and Clinical Investigation, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285, USA. Glass_John_I@Lilly.com
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|June 12, 2002
Summary
Genomic technologies applied to Streptococcus pneumoniae accelerate the discovery of new broad-spectrum antibiotics. This pathogen is now a prime target for identifying and validating novel antibacterial drug targets.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen.
- Its genetic characteristics make it a valuable model for antibiotic research.
- Advances in sequencing have enabled large-scale genomic studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how genomics has advanced antibiotic target identification using Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- To highlight the utility of S. pneumoniae in discovering new antibacterial agents.
Main Methods:
- Computational comparative genomics for identifying potential drug targets.
- Gene disruption studies to confirm gene essentiality.
- Gene expression analysis via microarrays and proteomics.
Main Results:
- Genomic approaches have revolutionized the study of S. pneumoniae.
- Essential genes encoding new antibacterial drug targets can be rapidly identified.
- S. pneumoniae is established as a leading species for antibiotic target validation.
Conclusions:
- Genomics has transformed S. pneumoniae into an optimal model for antibiotic discovery.
- This approach facilitates the identification and validation of novel targets for broad-spectrum antibiotics.