Bioprospecting of microbes from Mexico: in the search for novel antibiotics and pesticides

• Applicant: Dr. Rebekka Wamser
• Subject Area: Pharmacy
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 549323828

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest global challenges in the healthcare sector. In Mexico, AMR is also a significant issue that has so far been addressed with only limited measures, similar to other countries. Furthermore, resistant strains not only pose problems in the healthcare sector but also in agriculture, leading to annual losses in food production due to pests. This project aims to explore and discover novel compounds with antimicrobial and pesticidal properties by examining microorganisms from unexplored Mexican habitats. The focus will be on bacteria and fungi from the Yucatán and Baja California peninsulas, as well as deep-sea zones in the Gulf of Mexico, but it is not limited to these regions. Methods for isolating active compounds and conducting metabolomic analyses will be used to explore the chemical compositions of rare microbes. Bioassays involving extracts, fractions, and purified compounds will identify active metabolites. The research will take place in the laboratory of Prof. Figueroa at UNAM in Mexico City, which regularly conducts in vitro screening bioassays. Collaboration with Prof. Fenical at the UCSD-Scripps Institution aims to advance the cultivation of marine organisms. Additionally, a two-month stay at UCSD-Scripps will facilitate further assays of the bioactive molecules, including structure-activity relationship studies. Finally, the isolated compounds will be sent to partners at the Free University for testing of their inhibitory activity against NDM-1 and other viral proteases, such as the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and the 3C protease of EVD68. With this project, I aim to meet the pressing need for the discovery of new antibiotics and pesticides, while also addressing other critical global health risks.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: Mexico, USA
• Hosts: Professor Dr. William Fenical; Professor Dr. Mario Alberto Figueroa Saldívar