A natural depsipeptide antibiotic binds the E-site of the bacterial ribosome

A natural depsipeptide antibiotic binds the E-site of the bacterial ribosome

A key challenge in addressing the antibiotic resistance crisis is identifying new antimicrobial compounds1. Although natural products produced by fungi and bacteria, particularly actinomycetes, have been the source of most antibiotics discovered over the past 80 years, they have fallen out of favour owing to the frequent rediscovery of known drug scaffolds2. The current perception is that antibiotic-producing actinomycetes have been over-mined a…

Natural Depsipeptide Antibiotic Targets Bacterial Ribosome

In a groundbreaking discovery that could significantly shift paradigms in antibiotic resistance and natural product biosynthesis, researchers have identified a novel methyltransferase enzyme, ManE, that confers bacterial immunity against a newly characterized ribosome-targeting antibiotic known as MKM. This finding not only unveils a sophisticated self-protection strategy employed by antibiotic-producing bacteria but also provides pivotal insigh…

New Antibiotic, Manikomycin, Acts on Novel Ribosomal Target

Traditionally, antibiotic discovery has involved the isolation of natural products from fungi and bacteria—largely actinomycetes. However, the perception that antibiotic-producing actinomycetes have yielded all they can, with little left to give, has motivated a recent shift toward novel antibiotic discovery processes. However, a new study from researchers at McMaster University presents the isolation of a novel antibiotic from Streptomyces rimo…