Streptomyces iranensis is a soil bacterium and it was reported as a rapamycin-producer. Previously, we found that it produces plant growth promoting pteridic acids F and H (Streptomyces alleviate abiotic stress in plant by producing pteridic acids | Nature Communications). Interestingly, we found that it exhibited strong antifungal activities against different Aspergillus pathogens. Combining natural product chemistry, genome-mining and genetics, we found an undescribed macrolide, named alligamycin (due to its shape as alligator), which showed high potency against several resistant Aspergillus and Talaromyces pathogens. Interestingly, it might have a different mode of action indicated by proteomics study, when we treated Aspergillus niger with alligamycin.
This work highlights the importance of combing genome-mining, genetics and metabolomics approaches in modern natural product discovery research. Discovery of the potent antifungal candidate alligamycin A expands the limited antifungal chemical space. At the moment, we are carrying out in vivo study to test the efficacy to develop it further to clinical stages.
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