Green extraction of puromycin-based antibiotics from Streptomyces albofaciens (MS38) for sustainable biopharmaceutical applications

Deep inside a soil microbe, a chemical secret could outsmart drug-resistant bacteria and fungi. Now, scientists have coaxed it out using a greener path.

In the quest for new antibiotics, researchers turned to a novel strain of Streptomyces albofaciens, dubbed MS38. This soil-dwelling bacterium produces a compound that packs a punch against a wide range of pathogens. The team isolated the strain, identified it through state-of-the-art techniques like 16S sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS, and then set about extracting its secret weapon.

Using a green extraction method with n-butanol, they purified the compound via silica gel chromatography and HPLC. Structural analysis with UV, IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry revealed a complex molecule with functional groups that suggest antimicrobial power.

When tested, the compound showed strong activity against Gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus, Gram-negative bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, and fungi such as Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum. This broad-spectrum activity positions it as a promising candidate for sustainable biopharmaceutical applications.

Key Points

• Novel Streptomyces albofaciens MS38 yields broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound.
• Green extraction with n-butanol and chromatography purifies the active agent.
• Compound fights Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi.