Are there really drugs growing in the backyard?
In many of the urban areas of Los Angeles and beyond, that answer is a resounding yes. But it’s not what you think.
Multiple times, I’ve isolated a fantastical genus of fungi called Epicoccum from either the leaves of a friend's Mango tree or amongst sooty mold covering my Camellia bushes.
What’s so special about Epicoccum is that it’s not just a plant endophyte; it’s a wellspring of active secondary metabolites that include powerful anticancer, antioxidant and antifungal compounds!
Epicoccum can even biosynthesize gold and silver nanoparticles, which are currently being evaluated for their superior ability to deliver targeted drugs more effectively.
This organism offers up a fantastic example of why I’m so enthralled with bioprospecting for new molecules. One need not travel to the edges of the world to strike biological gold. Sometimes the most fruitful gifts from nature are in abundance right before our eyes.
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Негізгі бет Ғылым және технология Epicoccum Fungi Timelapse
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