Bioprospectors mine microbial genomes for antibiotic gold

“In March, the journal Nature published the discoveries of two paradigm-breaking antimicrobial compounds in as many weeks: a polyene macrolide antifungal called mandimycin and a lasso peptide antibiotic called lariocidin. Both these compounds, which use never-before-seen antimicrobial mechanisms, were found using techniques that let researchers look deep into the chemical diversity of microbes—much deeper than a typical antibiotic or antifungal screen might go.”

This article provides a good overview over application of modern drug development, Syn Bio, Biotechnology, etc., even about the state of the drug development industry, but it does not talk about anything new or groundbreaking.