How Nature Morphs Peptide Scaffolds into Antibiotics |
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Authors: | Elizabeth M. Nolan Dr. Christopher T. Walsh Prof. |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (USA), Fax: (+1)?617‐432‐0438 |
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Abstract: | The conventional notion that peptides are poor candidates for orally available drugs because of protease‐sensitive peptide bonds, intrinsic hydrophilicity, and ionic charges contrasts with the diversity of antibiotic natural products with peptide‐based frameworks that are synthesized and utilized by Nature. Several of these antibiotics, including penicillin and vancomycin, are employed to treat bacterial infections in humans and have been best‐selling therapeutics for decades. Others might provide new platforms for the design of novel therapeutics to combat emerging antibiotic‐resistant bacterial pathogens. |
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Keywords: | antibiotics biosynthesis natural products nonribosomal peptides ribosomal peptides |
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