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 resistances (AMR) are one of the biggest global problems in the healthcare sector. In Mexico, AMR is also a significant issue that has thus far been addressed with only a few measures, mirroring the situation in 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 pesticide 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. 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, 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 brief stay at UCSD-Scripps at the end of the project will facilitate further assays of the bioactive molecules. Finally, the isolated compounds will be sent to partners at the Freie Universität Berlin for testing their inhibitory activity against NDM-1 and other viral proteases, including the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and the 3C protease of EV D68. 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
• Host: Professor Dr. Mario Alberto Figueroa Saldívar