The Search for Bioactive Compounds from Microorganisms

Biologically active compounds isolated from microorganisms continue to be vital to the development of new drugs and agricultural chemicals. This book was prepared by current and past members of the laboratory of Dr. Satoshi Omura of the Kitasato Institute in Japan. Dr. Omura and his colleagues have discovered and studied a number of important antibiotics, and in their work they have pioneered new methods for screening microbes for interesting and important compounds. This book presents strategies and methods for identifying novel molecules with several types of biological activity. In addition, the book discusses the identification of microbial compounds of agrochemical importance, presents information on chemical screening methods, and concludes with chapters on microbial strain selection, fermentation technology, and genetic engineering of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. This book will be of great interest to scientists working in the very active and competitive fields of antibiotic and agrochemical discovery.

1 Antimicrobial Substances.- 1 Antibacterial Agents.- 2 Antifungal Agents.- 3 Antiviral Agents.- 4 Antiparasitic Agents.- 2 Antitumor Substances.- 5 Antitumor Agents.- 6 Cell Differentiation Inducers.- 3 Enzyme Inhibitors.- 7 General Screening of Enzyme Inhibitors.- 8 New Strategy for Search of Enzyme Inhibitors.- 4 Pharmacologically Active Substances.- 9 Immunomodulators.- 10 Vasoactive Substances.- 5 Agrochemicals.- 11 Fungicides and Antibacterial Agents.- 12 Herbicides.- 13 Insecticides, Acaricides, and Anticoccidial Agents.- 6 Chemical Screening.- 14 Chemical Screening.- 7 Sources, Fermentation, and Improvement of Producing Microorganisms.- 15 Selection of Microbial Sources of Bioactive Compounds.- 16 Fermentation Processes in Screening for New Bioactive Substances.- 17 Genetic Engineering of Antibiotic-Producing Microorganisms.