Platensimycin (PMC)

Platensimycin, a metabolite of Streptomyces platensis, which is an excellent example of a unique structural class of natural antibiotics, has been demonstrated to be a breakthrough in recent antibiotic research due to its unique functional pattern and significant antibacterial activity. This compound is a member of a class of antibiotics which act by blocking enzymes involved in the condensation steps in fatty acid biosynthesis, which Gram-positive bacteria need to biosynthesise cell membranes (β-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein (ACP)) synthase I/II (FabF/B)). Other enzymes in this pathway have similarly been proven antibiotic targets for example FabI, the enoyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) reductase, that is inhibited by isoniazid and related compounds and the antiseptic agent triclosan. Platensimycin has shown good activity against a panel of Gram positive organisms which included various resistant strains.