image: Species-rich rainforests of Mount Halimun Salak National Park, Java, Indonesia. view more
Credit: Image credit: Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl.
A study suggests how plant phylogenetics could guide the search for novel antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have emerged as a major global public health threat resulting from high antibiotic use in healthcare and livestock, prompting the need to identify new antibiotics. Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl, Jan Schnitzler, Ludger A. Wessjohann, and colleagues developed a method to search for potential antiinfective lead compounds in plants by integrating phylogenetic, spatial, and bioactivity data. As a test case, the authors examined more than 16,000 secondary metabolites found in more than 7,500 seed plant species on the Indonesian island of Java. The authors identified 26 plant clades in which antiinfective activities were overrepresented and therefore have a high probability of yielding bioactive compounds. The authors also identified 24 clades in which such activities were underrepresented. The clades had an overall low probability of yielding antiinfectives, but any antiinfective found had a high probability of being a novel type of antiinfective. Comparison of the geographic distributions of plant species and plant metabolites revealed a strong correlation between species diversity and metabolite diversity, reinforcing the importance of conserving biodiversity hotspots. The approach could help guide the search for novel antiinfective compounds by identifying promising taxa and geographic areas, according to the authors.
Article #19-15277: "Evaluation of plant sources for antiinfective lead compound discovery by correlating phylogenetic, spatial, and bioactivity data," by Laura Holtzmeyer et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jan Schnitzler, Leipzig University, GERMANY; tel: +49-341-9738582; e-mail: jan.schnitzler@uni-leipzig.de; Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl, Leipzig University, GERMANY; TEL: +49-341-9738581; e-mail: <muellner-riehl@uni-leipzig.de>; Ludger A. Wessjohann, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Halle, GERMANY; TEL: +49-345-55821300; e-mail: Ludger.Wessjohann@ipb-halle.de
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Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences