Breakthrough Discovery: Chemists Uncover Powerful Antibiotic for Drug-Resistant Bacteria ‘Hiding in Plain Sight’

Chemists at the University of Warwick and Monash University have made an exciting discovery: a new antibiotic that fights drug-resistant bacteria. This breakthrough comes at a crucial time as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses significant challenges to global health. According to the World Health Organization, there are “too few antibacterials” being developed, making new discoveries vital.

In their study in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers revealed a compound named pre-methylenomycin C lactone. Surprisingly, it was found as a byproduct of the widely known antibiotic methylenomycin A, which has been around for over 50 years. Professor Greg Challis, a lead author of the study, noted that while methylenomycin A has been synthesized many times, the intermediate compounds had never been tested for their antibacterial potential.

When pre-methylenomycin C lactone was tested, it proved to be over 100 times more effective against harmful Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA and VRE. These bacteria are notorious for being tough to treat, making this discovery particularly promising.

Dr. Lona Alkhalaf, another leading researcher, highlighted that the bacterium responsible for this antibiotic, Streptomyces coelicolor, was well-studied but had kept its secret hidden for decades. It seems that this bacterium originally produced the more potent pre-methylenomycin C lactone but evolved to create the weaker methylenomycin A instead.

The researchers also found no signs of resistance developing against pre-methylenomycin C lactone, even in bacteria that were resistant to vancomycin, a crucial last-resort antibiotic. This is significant, as vancomycin is often used to treat stubborn infections like those caused by Enterococcus.

Challis emphasized that this discovery could change how we look for new antibiotics. By exploring pathway intermediates, researchers may find more powerful antibiotics that can combat AMR more effectively.

Next steps include pre-clinical testing to further evaluate the antibiotic’s effectiveness. There is also an avenue for creating various analogs to better understand its structure and action. Professor David Lupton from Monash University pointed out that the synthetic route developed for pre-methylenomycin C lactone could open new doors for antibiotic research.

AMR affects around 1.1 million people each year, making discoveries like this even more essential. With simple structures and potent efficacy, new antibiotics like pre-methylenomycin C lactone could offer renewed hope in the ongoing battle against resistant infections.

For more detailed insight, you can refer to studies published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society here and in the Journal of Organic Chemistry here.

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