Discovery and antibacterial activity of lucensimycin C from Streptomyces lucensis

Protein synthesis is one of the key and validated antibacterial targets and its inhibition has led to the development of highly successful clinical drugs. Ribosomal protein S4 (RPSD) is a part of ribosomal machinery and a new potential target for antibacterial agents. Screening of microbial extracts using antisense sensitized rpsD strain in Staphylococcus aureus followed by chemical analysis led to the isolation of a new compound lucensimycin C, which is a key biosynthetic intermediate of the other lucensimycins. Isolation, structure elucidation, antibiotic activity, and biogenesis have been described.