A marine microbiome antifungal targets urgent-threat drug-resistant fungi

F Zhang, M Zhao, DR Braun, SS Ericksen… - Science, 2020 - science.org
F Zhang, M Zhao, DR Braun, SS Ericksen, JS Piotrowski, J Nelson, J Peng, GE Ananiev…
Science, 2020science.org
New antifungal drugs are urgently needed to address the emergence and transcontinental
spread of fungal infectious diseases, such as pandrug-resistant Candida auris. Leveraging
the microbiomes of marine animals and cutting-edge metabolomics and genomic tools, we
identified encouraging lead antifungal molecules with in vivo efficacy. The most promising
lead, turbinmicin, displays potent in vitro and mouse-model efficacy toward multiple-drug–
resistant fungal pathogens, exhibits a wide safety index, and functions through a fungal …
New antifungal drugs are urgently needed to address the emergence and transcontinental spread of fungal infectious diseases, such as pandrug-resistant Candida auris. Leveraging the microbiomes of marine animals and cutting-edge metabolomics and genomic tools, we identified encouraging lead antifungal molecules with in vivo efficacy. The most promising lead, turbinmicin, displays potent in vitro and mouse-model efficacy toward multiple-drug–resistant fungal pathogens, exhibits a wide safety index, and functions through a fungal-specific mode of action, targeting Sec14 of the vesicular trafficking pathway. The efficacy, safety, and mode of action distinct from other antifungal drugs make turbinmicin a highly promising antifungal drug lead to help address devastating global fungal pathogens such as C. auris.
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