title: Staphylococcus aureus promoter-lux reporters for drug discovery.
abstract: We describe a collection of antibiotic-activated Staphylococcus aureus promoter-lux reporter strains that can be used to discriminate among antibiotic classes on the basis of their light production response profile. We screened over 400 culture supernatants from previously uncharacterized actinomycetes from soil for the production of aminocoumarin-type compounds and DNA-damaging agents. Novobiocin production was determined in three isolates of Streptomyces, and streptonigrin, a DNA-damaging agent, together with several other bioactive compounds (oxopropaline D and G), was identified from a novel Kitasatospora isolate. This array provides an effective and specific whole-cell approach to search for classes of antimicrobial compounds in unfractionated culture broths.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Lili R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Mesak
authors.forename: Shuhua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008156:Luciferases