Different approaches for searching new microbial compounds with anti-infective activity

Abstract

New antibiotics are continuously required to combat Antibiotic-Resistant bacteria. This resistance increasingly limits the effectiveness of current antimicrobial drugs. Besides the problem of antibiotic resistance, new families of antibiotics are needed to enter the marketplace at regular intervals to face new diseases caused by evolving pathogens. Antibiotics toxicity is another reason for developing new antibiotics. Microorganisms are amazing producers of a great diversity of natural products including secondary metabolites. These metabolites constitute half of the pharmaceuticals on the market today and provide agriculture and livestock with many essential products. This chapter centers on the different approaches for searching new Antibiotic-Producing microorganisms with special emphasis in novel potential sources, bioprospecting, and new molecular tactics to look for novel compounds.