S108: Marine bacterial metabolites provide access to new structural and pharmacological diversity

It has been accepted that many marine actinomycetes represent novel taxa unique to their oceanic habitats.  Further, many groups of these bacteria, including Salinispora and  "marine Streptomyces" species are a prolific resource for structurally-novel secondary metabolites.  Unprecedented structures with significant bioactivities are now being defined for applications in numerous diseases including the treatment of cancer.  While many of these compounds are structurally novel, and could be solid drug leads, a lack of information defining their mechanisms of action and protein targets reduces interest.  As a result, many unique substances are subsequently not being developed. In a attempt to improve on  this situation, we are now examining the MOAs and protein targets of new bioactive agents earlier in the developmental process. In this presentation, the results of three studies will be illustrated leading to new cancer targets.  By exploring this underexplored resource and defining their protein targets early in the discovery process, it is hoped that drug candidates can be identified at an early stage.