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Science 17 March 2000:
Vol. 287. no. 5460, pp. 1973 - 1976
DOI: 10.1126/science.287.5460.1973
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Review

Harnessing the Power of the Genome in the Search for New Antibiotics

John Rosamond, Aileen Allsop *

Over the past 40 years, the search for new antibiotics has been largely restricted to well-known compound classes active against a standard set of drug targets. Although many effective compounds have been discovered, insufficient chemical variability has been generated to prevent a serious escalation in clinical resistance. Recent advances in genomics have provided an opportunity to expand the range of potential drug targets and have facilitated a fundamental shift from direct antimicrobial screening programs toward rational target-based strategies. The application of genome-based technologies such as expression profiling and proteomics will lead to further changes in the drug discovery paradigm by combining the strengths and advantages of both screening strategies in a single program.

AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4TG, UK.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Aileen.Allsop{at}AstraZeneca.com

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