Triaryl cation antibiotics from environmental DNA
US7115753B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 3, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02A50/30
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed are triaryl cationic compounds that exhibit broad spectrum antibiotic and antifungal activity, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, and methods of treating bacterial and fungal infections using the compounds. The compounds were initially isolated by screening a 25,000-member bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of environmental (eDNA) from soil. At least one clone produced a dark brown melanin-like compound that was found to have antibiotic activity. The compounds were isolated and synthesized de novo. From within the positive clone, a single open reading frame that shares extensive sequence similarity with members of the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate family of enzymes was found to be necessary and sufficient to confer the production of at least one of the subject compounds on E. coli.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.