Here are a couple of new antibiotics, discformycins A and B, isolated by a group from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Germany. Müller and his colleagues reported their structures to be  respectively:-

differing only in the placement of the topmost C=C.

The usual NMR experiments allowed the structural assignment. This group has been re-screeing their collection of myxobacteria in order to identify novel Gram-positive anti-bacterials. One particular strain had not been comprehensively examined namely Pyxidicoccus fallax strain AndGT8. The authors identified and analysed the fundamental biosynthetic gene cluster and observed that this properly matches the stereochemistry determined by structure elucidation for the more active metabolite disciformycin B, which is most likely the primary product of the biosynthesis. The more active compound, disciformycin B, potently inhibits methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

So this is a new molecular scaffold with which lots of SAR can be done. Especially as the molecules are relatively simple in structure. Anyone willing to take up the challenge?

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