A guide to successful bioprospecting: informed by actinobacterial systematics

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Actinomycetes, particularly streptomycetes, are vital sources of novel natural products for drug discovery.
• Screening common actinomycetes leads to rediscovery of known compounds, necessitating new bioprospecting strategies.
• Marine sediments harbor diverse, underexplored actinobacterial communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore novel actinomycetes from marine sediments as a source of structurally diverse natural products.
• To demonstrate the efficacy of a bioprospecting strategy focused on novel, dereplicated marine actinomycetes.
• To highlight the importance of prokaryotic systematics in discovering new bioactive compounds.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and cultivation of actinomycetes from marine sediment samples.
• Application of novel screening procedures to identify new secondary metabolites.
• Dereplication of isolates to avoid rediscovery of known compounds.
• Taxonomic characterization of novel actinobacterial strains.

Main Results:

• Discovery of novel bioactive compounds, including atrop-abyssomicin C and proximicins A, B, and C from Verrucosispora species.
• Identification of dermacozines from Dermacoccus strains isolated from deep-sea sediments.
• Successful isolation of unique actinomycetes from marine environments.

Conclusions:

• Screening novel actinomycetes from marine sediments is a successful strategy for discovering new natural products.
• This approach effectively circumvents the issue of rediscovering known compounds.
• Investment in training and supporting actinobacterial systematists is crucial for future bioprospecting efforts.