46361 news 1237766400 1475895794 <![CDATA[Researchers Identify Genes for Thiostrepton, a Powerful Antibiotic]]> Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have identified the genetic machinery responsible for synthesizing thiostrepton, a powerful antibiotic produced by certain bacteria. Though effective against the dangerous MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, thiostrepton currently has only limited applications in humans because it is not water soluble.

Identification of the gene cluster responsible for producing thiostrepton sets the stage for genetic manipulations that could make the drug more useful by improving its water solubility, potentially providing a new tool in the high-stakes battle against bacteria. Beyond the possible medical applications, the research produced a scientific surprise: thiostrepton is derived from a genetically encoded peptide that undergoes no fewer than 19 different modifications, one of the most complex such processes known

]]> 2009-03-23T00:00:00-04:00 46362 image <![CDATA[Thiostrepton & researchers]]> 101125 image/jpeg 46363 image <![CDATA[Thiostrepton & researchers]]> 101126 image/jpeg 46364 image <![CDATA[Wendy Kelly]]> 101127 image/jpeg John Toon
Research News & Publications Office
Contact John Toon
404-894-6986]]> 1188 141 146 135 http://www.chemistry.gatech.edu/ http://www.ibb.gatech.edu/ http://www.chemistry.gatech.edu/faculty/Kelly/ 1188 1109 1110 1112 1113 1111