NEWS OF THE WEEK NATURAL
PRODUCTS
row-spectrum antibiotic," Kristensen says. O f course, many years of preclinical and clinical studies have yet to be carried out. One could anticipate that mutants of plectasin could be identified that have an even broader antimicrobial spectrum while retaining its other positive properties." Finding a defensin in fungus improves its chances for use as a while screening the fungus Pseu- therapeutic. High production cost doplectania nigrelhforenzymes of is often cited as an obstacle to the industrial relevance (J^ature 2005, development of defensins. In the case of plectasin, however, "the 437,975). producing species can be grown in The team tested the therapeubulk and provide the peptide antitic potential both in culture and in biotic for relatively low cost," says mice. In laboratory tests, plectasin Robert E. W. Hancock, a professor was particularly effective against Streptococcuspneumoniae, including in the department of microbiology and immunology at the University all drug-resistant strains tested. of British Columbia, Vancouver. In mice, the peptide was as effecPlectasin can be produced with the tive as vancomycin and penicillin same system usedforthe manufacagainst S. pneumoniae. ture of industrial enzymes, Kris"Plectasin so far seems to have all the properties to become a nar- tensen says.—CELIA HENRY
FUNGI ON THE DEFENSE
Defensin peptide antibiotic found in fungus for the first time
A
PEPTIDE ANTIBIOTIC Dis-
covered in a fungus shows promise as a therapeutic agent, according to a new study. Such antibiotics, known as defensins, have previously been seen in animals and higher plants. The new study is the first to find one m a fungus. A team led by Hans-Henrik Kristensen, manager of anti-infective discovery at Novozymes in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, discovered plectasin, the new peptide antibiotic, "completely by chance"
PEPTIDE ANTIBIOTIC Plectasin, the first defensin found in a fungus, is especially effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae.
GOVERNMENT
&
POLICY
HOUSE REFINERY BILL SQUEAKS BY Measure to boost U.S. capacity survives in House, faces uncertain future in Senate
R Barton
10
C&EN
ESPONDING TO FUEL SHORT-
ages and soaring energy prices in the wake of the recent hurricanes, the House ofRepresentatives on Oct. 7 narrowly passed legislation that would encourage the construction of new refineries in the U.S. Lawmakers voted 212 to 210 in favor of the measure crafted by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Joe L. Barton (R-Texas) after Republican leaders extended the roll call by 40 minutes while they lobbied their own members to switch votes and support the bill. Democrats denounced the GOP for abusing parliamentary procedures and said the bill would do nothing
/ OCTOBER
17,
2005
to ease energy costs this winter. The legislation, which now goes to the Senate, would streamline the government permitting process for approving new refinery projects, open federal lands including closed military bases for future refinery construction, and limit to six the number of fuel blends that refiners are required to produce to reduce urban air pollution. Barton said that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made clear that the U.S. needs additional refinery capacity, especially new facilities outside the Gulf Coast region. N o new refinery has been built in the U.S. since Marathon Oil's 245,000-barrel-per-day facility
at Garyville, La., was completed in 1976. "We use 21 million bbl of oil a day and only have the refinery capacity for 16 million on a good day. And after Katrina and Rita, we haven't had many good days," Barton said. Before taking the measure to the floor, House leaders dropped a controversial provision that would have eased Clean Air Act new source review rules that require industrial facilities to install new pollution controls when an expansion project results in increased emissions. The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association and other industry groups welcomed the House action, but environmental activists said the legislation would hand the profit-rich oil industry unneeded benefits. "It is time for Congress to put real solutions to work to help lower energy prices and cut America's oil dependence instead ofweakening environmental protections and subsidizing the oil industry," said David Hamilton, director of the Sierra Club's energy program.—GLENN HESS WWW.CEN-0NLINE.ORG
