Genome-Mined Megacluster Signals Synergy in Biotin-Targeting Antibiotics

A Nature paper reports a megacluster of four gene clusters in Streptomyces that produce three antibiotics plus a biotin-pathway mimic, which together disrupt biotin synthesis in bacteria and show synergistic killing in lab and animal tests, revealing a new genome-mining strategy to revive natural-product antibiotics, though extensive work remains before clinical use.