The chemical analysis of microbial symbionts yields a deeper understanding of the evolution of symbiotic systems, and at the same time grants access to intrinsically bioactive natural products. It is only now that the impact of these natural products on the discovery of novel antibiotics with potential applications for human health is being realized. Yet, novel sources of antibiotics are needed since the use of antibiotics inevitably selects for resistant pathogens. In times of multiresistant strains such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE), the demand for new classes of antibiotics and the discovery of new targets, is high. Broadly, the project aims to elucidate the chemical repertoire of a bacterial symbiont, Amycolatopsis M39, of fungus-growing termites. Attractive features and goals of this approach include: (1) the genome-driven analysis of chemically poorly studied symbiotic bacteria and their respective secondary metabolites; (2) modern semi and total synthesis to evaluate the absolute structure of pharmacologically interesting target structures and biosynthetic intermediates; and (3) the generation of a substrate library of intrinsically bioactive secondary metabolites. We intend to capitalize on recent advances in organic synthesis, DNA sequencing and genome mining approaches, as well as synthetic biology. We aim to link natural products to their genomic basis to understand the underpinnings of their biosynthesis, and we will use the generated information to build up a more genera discovery and evaluation platform.This project benefits from collaborations with other academic partners having strong expertise in chemical ecology and biosynthesis, and the presence of an in-house pharmacological and pre-clinical evaluation platform. Key element of this proposal is the synergistic interaction between the disciplines as the collaborative research consortium offers a broad range of expertise in the fields of natural product chemistry, chemical analytics and organic synthetic chemistry, which is necessary to tackle the outlined ambitious tasks. The following three specific aims will be addressed within this project: (1) We will determine the absolute structure of macrotermycin A and its core structure by using an efficient and modular strategy, a strategy which provides at the same time thioester precursors for biosynthetic pathway studies. Structurally simplified macrotermycins will be (bio)synthesized to enable structure-activity studies. (2) We aim to understand and subsequently manipulate the putative biosynthetic pathway of macrotermycins using a heterologous expression system that can be transferred to the analysis of other not yet fully characterized gene clusters within M39 to fully harvest the chemical potential. (3) We aim to elucidate the means by which other encoded biosynthetic gene clusters are induced and identify the respective secondary metabolites.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
International Connection
Denmark, France, USA
