Synthetic Biology for antibiotic discovery and development

New antibiotics are urgently needed to replace and supplement those eroded by bacteria resistance. Synthetic biology approaches have vast potential to aid the discovery and development of antibiotics and other medicines. Benefits may include overcoming common problems associated with antibiotic discovery from natural sources such as poor growth characteristics, reproducibility and poor yield. Demuris has identified a promising broad spectrum antibiotic but it is produced in low quantity. Bioinformatics and Synthetic Biology tools will be used to identify and refactor the gene cluster for optimum production and allow the creation of antibiotics with improved properties. Developing these Synthetic Biology methods may give scientists new weapons to be used in the battle against bacterial resistance.