PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential

2013-11-01
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Michael Freitag
freitagm@science.oregonstate.edu
541-737-4845
Oregon State University
'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered that one gene in a common fungus acts as a master regulator, and deleting it has opened access to a wealth of new compounds that have never before been studied – with the potential to identify new antibiotics.

The finding was announced today in the journal PLOS Genetics, in research supported by the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society.

Scientists succeeded in flipping a genetic switch that had silenced more than 2,000 genes in this fungus, the cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Until now this had kept it from producing novel compounds that may have useful properties, particularly for use in medicine but also perhaps in agriculture, industry, or biofuel production.

"About a third of the genome of many fungi has always been silent in the laboratory," said Michael Freitag, an associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the OSU College of Science. "Many fungi have antibacterial properties. It was no accident that penicillin was discovered from a fungus, and the genes for these compounds are usually in the silent regions of genomes.

"What we haven't been able to do is turn on more of the genome of these fungi, see the full range of compounds that could be produced by expression of their genes," he said. "Our finding should open the door to the study of dozens of new compounds, and we'll probably see some biochemistry we've never seen before."

In the past, the search for new antibiotics was usually done by changing the environment in which a fungus or other life form grew, and see if those changes generated the formation of a compound with antibiotic properties.

"The problem is, with the approaches of the past we've already found most of the low-hanging fruit, and that's why we've had to search in places like deep sea vents or corals to find anything new," Freitag said. "With traditional approaches there's not that much left to be discovered. But now that we can change the genome-wide expression of fungi, we may see a whole new range of compounds we didn't even know existed."

The gene that was deleted in this case regulates the methylation of histones, the proteins around which DNA is wound, Freitag said. Creating a mutant without this gene allowed new expression, or overexpression of about 25 percent of the genome of this fungus, and the formation of many "secondary metabolites," the researchers found.

The gene that was deleted, kmt6, encodes a master regulator that affects the expression of hundreds of genetic pathways, researchers say. It's been conserved through millions of years, in life forms as diverse as plants, fungi, fruit flies and humans.

The discovery of new antibiotics is of increasing importance, researchers say, as bacteria, parasites and fungi are becoming increasingly resistant to older drugs.

"Our studies will open the door to future precise 'epigenetic engineering' of gene clusters that generate bioactive compounds, e.g. putative mycotoxins, antibiotics and industrial feedstocks," the researchers wrote in the conclusion of their report.



INFORMATION:



Editor's Note: Digital images are available to illustrate this story:

A mutated fungus producing pigments: http://bit.ly/19SMdQy

A corn stem infected with Fusarium graminearum: http://bit.ly/1h0SZK8



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Former missile-tracking telescope helps reveal fate of baby pulsar

2013-11-01
Former missile-tracking telescope helps reveal fate of baby pulsar A radio telescope once used to track ballistic missiles has helped astronomers determine how the magnetic field structure and rotation of the young and rapidly rotating Crab pulsar ...

Automated system promises precise control of medically induced coma

2013-11-01
Automated system promises precise control of medically induced coma Successful animal study may lead to computer-controlled general anesthesia delivery Putting patients with severe head injuries or persistent seizures into a medically induced coma currently ...

Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities

2013-11-01
Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities Inaction has jeopardized the health and economic well-being of millions A leading cause of heart disease remains overlooked in North America's most impoverished communities, researchers ...

NYU study on incarcerated youth shows potential to lower anti-social behavior and recidivism

2013-11-01
NYU study on incarcerated youth shows potential to lower anti-social behavior and recidivism The researchers investigated the impact of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness training on attentional task performance in incarcerated adolescents Researchers ...

Microbleeds important to consider in brain-related treatments, UCI neurologist says

2013-11-01
Microbleeds important to consider in brain-related treatments, UCI neurologist says Stroke prevention strategies should address both blood clotting, protection of vessels Irvine, Calif., Oct. 31, 2013 — As growing numbers of America's baby boomers reach retirement, ...

Scientists capture most detailed picture yet of key AIDS protein

2013-11-01
Scientists capture most detailed picture yet of key AIDS protein Finding represents a scientific feat and progress towards an HIV vaccine NEW YORK (October 31, 2013) -- Collaborating scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Weill Cornell ...

NIH-funded scientists reveal structure of HIV protein key to cell entry

2013-11-01
NIH-funded scientists reveal structure of HIV protein key to cell entry Finding holds promise for HIV vaccine development Using protein engineering and two different cutting-edge structural biology imaging ...

Plant production could decline as climate change affects soil nutrients

2013-11-01
Plant production could decline as climate change affects soil nutrients As drylands of the world become even drier, water will not be the only resource in short supply. Levels of nutrients in the soil will likely be affected, and their imbalance could affect ...

Supreme Court's Obamacare decision established new limits on federal authority, IU paper says

2013-11-01
Supreme Court's Obamacare decision established new limits on federal authority, IU paper says BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A new paper by an Indiana University professor sheds new light on the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, which ...

Research finds severe hot flashes reduced with quick neck injection

2013-11-01
Research finds severe hot flashes reduced with quick neck injection A shot in the neck of local anesthesia may reduce hot flashes by as much as 50 percent for at least six months, a recent Northwestern Medicine® study found. "We think we are resetting the thermostat ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

[Press-News.org] 'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential