Actinomycete genomes are a rich source of unexplored phosphonate natural products. By mining 940 genome sequenced strains, researchers found 54 candidate producers and confirmed phosphonate production in 21 strains, including Kitasatospora fiedleri with a unique, LuxR regulated gene cluster. This strategy paves the way for new bioactive phosphonates with pharma and biotech potential.
Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/y43tk58n

#Phosphonate #NaturalProducts #Microbiology

#VelvetWorm shoots #slime that stiffens in mid-air https://www.futurity.org/velvet-worms-slime-2994192-2/

Peculiar #Phosphonate Modifications of #VelvetWorms Slime Revealed by Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.3c06798

"The fact that the slime transitions from a liquid to a solid in mid-air is extremely unusual... The forces it experiences when ejected initiate the transition... This solidified slime becomes recyclable, a quality with implications for sustainable materials"