Award details

Bioprospecting the Atacama Desert: the discovery and enhancement of novel therapeutic drugs from actinomycetes.

Reference	BBS/OS/NW/000003
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Mervyn Bibb
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	156,676
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/02/2015
End date	31/05/2018
Duration	39 months

Abstract

The Atacama presents a unique geological, hydrological and biological environment. Our work has shown that unique actinobacterial strains can be found there and that these produce potent and selective compounds with the potential for pharmaceutical development. The aims of this project are threefold: 1.) to confirm the hypothesis that an extreme environment such as the Atacama desert gives rise to unique and diverse microbiology, with unique biosynthetic talent that generates novel bioactive chemical entities; 2.) To compare conventional fermentation methods involving stress conditions with an approach involving genome mining and heterologous expression of targeted biosynthetic pathways; 3.) Achieving a sustainable source of bioactive compounds and analogues by modifying biosynthetic pathways and metabolic modelling. The outcomes of this project will be: 1.) an understanding of the scope of microbial and biosynthetic diversity in Atacama desert microorganisms 2.) A library of taxonomically well characterised actinobacterial strains; 3.) Genome scanning of selected strains to identify novel pathways; 4.) Novel bioactive compounds; 5.) Sustainable ways to produce and modify these compounds; 6.) Trained human capital. This project is built on prior successful collaboration between the project partners that has already resulted in published work. The unique nature of the biological resources and the expertise of the team will ensure successful outcomes with high impact, in terms of basic research and its potential for subsequent application.

Summary

The high altitude Atacama desert in the northern Chilean Andes, parts of which have no recorded rainfall, presents a unique geological, hydrological and biological environment. Contrary to prior expectations, our previous work had shown that unique actinobacterial strains (actinobacteria are the producers of most clinically used antibiotics and many other important compounds used in medicine and in agriculture) can be found there and that these produce potent and selective compounds with the potential for pharmaceutical development. The aims of this project are: 1. to confirm the hypothesis that an extreme environment such as the Atacama desert gives rise to unique and diverse microbiology, with unique biosynthetic talent that generates novel bioactive chemical entities. 2. To compare conventional fermentation methods involving stress conditions with an approach involving genome mining and heterologous expression of targeted biosynthetic pathways to activate the expression of silent gene clusters and biosynthetic pathways. 3. To develop a sustainable source of bioactive compounds and analogues by modifying such biosynthetic pathways and metabolic modelling. The outcomes of this project will be: 1. an understanding of the scope of microbial and biosynthetic diversity in Atacama desert microorganisms. 2. A library of taxonomically well-characterised actinobacterial strains. 3) Genome mining of selected strains to identify novel biosynthetic pathways. 4. Novel bioactive compounds. 5. Sustainable ways to produce and modify these compounds. 6. Trained Chilean graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Industrial Biotechnology, Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Newton Fund - Initial Awards (NFIA) [2017]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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