Bacillus anthracis spores as viewed in scanning electron microscopy (© National Academy of Engineering)
Posted on 08/04/2013 1:55:42 PM PDT by neverdem
Scientists have discovered a marine microbe-derived antibiotic that has the ability to kill the deadly Anthrax bacterium Bacillus anthracis and other pathogens such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Bacillus anthracis spores as viewed in scanning electron microscopy (© National Academy of Engineering)
Prof William Fenical with colleagues from the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography first collected Streptomyces sp. - a marine microorganism that produces the compound – in 2012 from sediments close to shore off Santa Barbara, California.
Using an analytical technique known as spectroscopy, they then deciphered the unusual structure of a molecule isolated from Streptomyces sp. Initial testing of the compound, which they named Anthracimycin, revealed its potency as a killer of anthrax and the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
“The real importance of this work is the fact that Anthracimycin has a new and unique chemical structure,” explained Prof Fenical, who is a senior author of a paper reporting the discovery in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Structure of Anthracimycin from X-ray crystal structure analysis. Bottom right: chemical structure of Anthracimycin (Kyoung Hwa Jang et al)
“The finding is a basic research discovery, which could lead to testing and development, and eventually a drug.”
“The discovery of truly new antibiotic compounds is quite rare. This discovery adds to many previous discoveries that show that marine bacteria are genetically and chemically unique.”
“The discovery provides the latest evidence that the oceans, and many of its unexplored regions, represent a vast resource for new materials that could one day treat a variety of diseases and illnesses,” Prof Fenical concluded.
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Bibliographic information: Kyoung Hwa Jang et al. 2013. Anthracimycin, a Potent Anthrax Antibiotic from a Marine-Derived Actinomycete. Angewandte Chemie, vol. 52, no 30, pages 7822–7824; doi: 10.1002/anie.201302749
Molecular Formula: C25H32O4
Carbon atoms are at each angle except for that lone oxygen that's part of the extended ring structure. There are three oxygen atoms off of the extended ring structure.
Hydrogen atoms are understood. Carbon atoms are bound to four other atoms except when they have covalent double or triple bonds. Covalent bonds mean atoms share two or more pairs of electrons.
Anthracimycin's carbon atoms only have single or double covalent bonds. Single covalent bonds are represented by single lines; double bonds are represented by two lines, etc.
Wow, what an exciting discovery. Our lives just changed and most of us remain blissfully unaware.
May go down in history as the last medical innovation before ObamaCare completely strangled all incentives for research.
Covalent bonds mean at least two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.
I just made a new keyword, i.e. newantibiotic. What's really interesting here is that this antibiotic came from bacteria, IMHO. Our usual experience is to discover these drugs in fungi. Penicillin was discovered accidentally in an old mold culture by Alexander Fleming.
“At first, we thought it was safe. A new antibiotic! It was a breakthrough! It was only later that we learned what the side effect was. Anyway, Son, that’s how zombies were created ...”
I would be Jimmy10Toes again if it came out three years ago.
“What’s really interesting here is that this antibiotic came from bacteria...”
It’s a seminal breakthrough that gives us a whole new way of looking at antibiotic chemistry. Real Nobel Prize stuff, if that still means anything. We get to go back and search other coastal areas for variations of this molecule.
“Penicillin was discovered accidentally in an old mold culture by Alexander Fleming.”
If I remember the story, he became interested in a blue mold growing on some orange peels left out near a window.
(and if that isn’t the story, it should be :)
In sediment off shore from Santa Barbara.
Could this be from OIL seepage?
Quick. Put it in hand soap.
Perhaps it could be used prophylactically,
Both MSSA and MRSA are hospital acquired
Thanks for posting this. I have not seen it anywhere else. A family member almost died from a MRSA infection last year.
Qantas Flight To Australia Becomes Poop Plane From Hell
FReepmail me if you want on or off my combined microbiology/immunology ping list.
Like.
No way after toxicity testing. This needs to be used, if possible, very judiciously, or else we'll promote antibacterial resistance to it.
Both MSSA and MRSA are hospital acquired
Both are also community acquired already.
MRSA. Is killed by lavender oil.
Back in August 2009 I had not been near a hospital in about a decade. I caught a case of MRSA in my armpit and ended up at Dewitt Army Hospital in serious condition for four days.
The doctors told me MRSA is now everywhere and they think close to 50% of the population have it on their bodies. It just takes the right conditions, including the host being ill and their defenses being down for the infection to attack.
A relative of mine was on a hike ...slipped on some rocks and scraped his shin up pretty good. He almost lost that leg to MRSA ... they cleaned it out to the bone ... if it had been in the bone, bye-bye leg. It took months to heal and required a wound specialist’s care.
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