MSGID: 1:317/3 646ee4aa   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Failed antibiotic now a game changing weed killer for farmers    
      
     Date:   
         May 24, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Adelaide   
     Summary:   
         Weed killers of the future could soon be based on failed   
         antibiotics.   
      
         Researchers have found a molecule which was initially developed   
         to treat tuberculosis but failed to progress out of the lab as an   
         antibiotic is now showing promise as a powerful foe for weeds that   
         invade our gardens and cost farmers billions of dollars each year.   
      
      
         Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   Weed killers of the future could soon be based on failed antibiotics.   
      
   A molecule which was initially developed to treat tuberculosis but failed   
   to progress out of the lab as an antibiotic is now showing promise as a   
   powerful foe for weeds that invade our gardens and cost farmers billions   
   of dollars each year.   
      
   While the failed antibiotic wasn't fit for its original purpose,   
   scientists at the University of Adelaide discovered that by tweaking   
   its structure, the molecule became effective at killing two of the   
   most problematic weeds in Australia, annual ryegrass and wild radish,   
   without harming bacterial and human cells.   
      
   "This discovery is a potential game changer for the agricultural   
   industry. Many weeds are now resistant to the existing herbicides on   
   the market, costing farmers billions of dollars each year," said lead   
   researcher Dr Tatiana Soares da Costa from the University of Adelaide's   
   Waite Research Institute.   
      
   "Using failed antibiotics as herbicides provides a short-cut for faster   
   development of new, more effective weed killers that target damaging and   
   invasive weeds that farmers find hard to control."  Researchers at the   
   University's Herbicide and Antibiotic Innovation Lab discovered there were   
   similarities between bacterial superbugs and weeds at a molecular level.   
      
   They exploited these similarities and, by chemically modifying the   
   structure of a failed antibiotic, they were able to block the production   
   of amino acid lysine, which is essential for weed growth.   
      
   "There are no commercially available herbicides on the market that work in   
   this way. In fact, in the past 40 years, there have been hardly any new   
   herbicides with new mechanisms of action that have entered the market,"   
   said Dr Andrew Barrow, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr Soares da Costa's   
   team at the University of Adelaide's Waite Research Institute.   
      
   It's estimated that weeds cost the Australian agriculture industry more   
   than $5 billion each year.   
      
   Annual ryegrass in particular is one of the most serious and costly   
   weeds in southern Australia.   
      
   "The short-cut strategy saves valuable time and resources, and therefore   
   could expedite the commercialisation of much needed new herbicides,"   
   said Dr Soares da Costa.   
      
   "It's also important to note that using failed antibiotics won't drive   
   antibiotic resistance because the herbicidal molecules we discovered   
   don't kill bacteria. They specifically target weeds, with no effects on   
   human cells," she said.   
      
   It's not just farmers who could reap the benefits of this discovery.   
      
   Researchers say it could also lead to the development of new weed killers   
   to target pesky weeds growing in our backyards and driveways.   
      
   "Our re-purposing approach has the potential to discover herbicides with   
   broad applications that can kill a variety of weeds," said Dr Barrow.   
      
   This research has been published in the journal of Communications Biology.   
      
   Dr Tatiana Soares da Costa and her team are now looking at discovering   
   more herbicidal molecules by re-purposing other failed antibiotics and   
   partnering up with industry to introduce new and safe herbicides to   
   the market.   
      
   Funding for this research was provided by the Australian Research Council   
   through a DECRA Fellowship and a Discovery Project awarded to Dr Tatiana   
   Soares da Costa.   
      
   The first author on the paper is Emily Mackie, a PhD student in Dr Soares   
   da Costa's team, who is supported by scholarships from the Grains and   
   Research Development Corporation and Research Training Program. Co-authors   
   include Dr Andrew Barrow, Dr Marie-Claire Giel, Dr Anthony Gendall and   
   Dr Santosh Panjikar.   
      
   The Waite Research Institute stimulates and supports research and   
   innovation across the University of Adelaide and its partners that builds   
   capacity for Australia's agriculture, food, and wine sectors.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Agriculture_and_Food # Food_and_Agriculture # Biology   
                   # Bacteria   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Environmental_Policy # Sustainability # Geoengineering   
                   # Environmental_Issues   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Weed o Penicillin-like_antibiotics o Weed_control o   
             Tuberculosis o Antibiotic_resistance o Hurricane_Katrina o   
             Pathogen o Tortoise   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Adelaide. Original   
   written by Jessica Stanley. Note: Content may be edited for style   
   and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Emily R. R. Mackie, Andrew S. Barrow, Marie-Claire Giel, Mark   
      D. Hulett,   
         Anthony R. Gendall, Santosh Panjikar, Tatiana P. Soares da Costa.   
      
         Repurposed inhibitor of bacterial dihydrodipicolinate reductase   
         exhibits effective herbicidal activity. Communications Biology,   
         2023; 6 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04895-y   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524182017.htm   
      
   --- up 1 year, 12 weeks, 2 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes   
    * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 15/0 106/201 114/705 123/120 153/7715 218/700 226/30 227/114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/110 112 113 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 291/111 292/854   
   SEEN-BY: 298/25 305/3 317/3 320/219 396/45   
   PATH: 317/3 229/426