Simpler versions of a natural fungicide outperform it against two major pathogens.

Dangerous fungal infections are spreading and threaten human and environmental health, creating a strong need for new antifungal medicines. Scientists looked at polyoxin, an environmentally friendly antibiotic that stops fungi from building their protective cell walls. Polyoxin has not been fully explored, so the researchers designed new versions with a simplified, four-membered ring structure called an azetidine ring. They used an industrial polyoxin-producing microbe as a tiny factory to manufacture these custom molecules. Three of the new versions, named POL-AX, POL-HX, and POL-KX, worked better than before against the yeast Candida albicans and a plant pathogen named Phytophthora sojae. Computer models showed that these molecules fit much more snugly into the fungal enzyme that makes cell walls, explaining their boosted power.

Why it matters

Fungal infections harm both people and crops, and resistance is growing. These new antibiotic variants are more potent against two key pathogens, including one that attacks soybeans. Because they are made by modifying an existing industrial process, they could reach farms and clinics faster than entirely new drugs.

Questions answered