Penicillin bug genome unravelled
Dutch researchers have decoded the DNA sequence of the fungus which produces
penicillin. It is hoped that uncovering the genome of Penicillium chrysogenum
will boost the development of new antibiotics to overcome problems of
resistance.
The findings come just in time for the 80th anniversary of the discovery of
penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming.
Full details of the 13,500-gene sequence will be published in Nature
Biotechnology in October.
Penicillium chrysogenum is used in the production of antibiotics such as
amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin and cefadroxil. Its use in killing bacteria
was discovered in 1928 after mould spores accidentally contaminated a petri dish
in a laboratory.
Further work discovered it was safe for use in humans. About one billion people
are thought take penicillin every year around the world.
But antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasingly serious problem, as for
example has been shown with MRSA.
UK experts have repeatedly cautioned against overuse of antibiotics and warned
there is an urgent need for industry to develop new drugs.
Surprises
Researchers said in addition to combating resistance, the genome sequence may
also help to improve the manufacturing of antibiotics.
Dr Roel Bovenberg, a researcher at DSM Anti-Infectives, the biotechnology
company behind the genome sequencing, said the four-year project had thrown up
'several surprises' which they were investigating further in collaboration with
academics.
'It provides insight into what genes encode for, know-how in terms of
manufacturing and new compounds to be identified and tested.
'There are genes and gene families we did not think would be involved in
biosynthesis of penicillins - they weren't on our radar so that is our follow-up
work.'
Professor Hugh Pennington, an expert in bacteriology at the University of
Aberdeen, said the genome sequence might well lead to the development of new
antibiotics.
'If we understand the genome we might be able to manipulate the genes.'
He said traditionally antibiotics had been found just from looking at what fungi
produce, but in recent years scientists had been trying to modify existing
treatments.
'All the easy targets have been hit by one drug or another so it's proving very
difficult to find new compounds and we're going to need some lateral thinking.
'If the genome helps to do antibiotic development quicker, then that can only be
a good thing.'
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