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Screen for New Antimicrobial Natural Products from the NCI Program for Natural Product Discovery Prefractionated
Lucero Martínez-Fructuoso1, S J Ryan Arends2, Vitor F Freire1
1Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutic Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, United States.
ACS Infectious Diseases
|May 10, 2023
Summary
Researchers screened over 300,000 natural product fractions to find new antimicrobial compounds. This large-scale natural product screening identified thousands of active fractions, revealing novel antibiotic chemotypes.
Area of Science:
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Microbiology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- The rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes necessitates the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents.
- Natural products are a historically rich source of bioactive molecules, including antibiotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a large-scale screening of natural product fractions for antimicrobial activity.
- To identify novel chemical structures with potential antibiotic properties.
Main Methods:
- Systematic screening of 326,656 partially purified natural product fractions against four microbial pathogens.
- Purification of active fractions and elucidation of the chemical structures responsible for antimicrobial activity.
Main Results:
- Identification of over 3,000 fractions exhibiting antifungal and/or antibacterial activity.
- Discovery of numerous distinct chemotypes, including several previously unreported for antimicrobial effects.
Conclusions:
- Natural product sources continue to be a valuable reservoir for undiscovered antibiotic compounds.
- Large-scale screening efforts are effective in identifying diverse antimicrobial chemotypes.
