Investigators at Oregon State University (OSU) find a soil-dwelling bacterium producing molecules that could induce death in melanoma cells. The molecule recently identified—called mensacarcin—is a natural product and secondary metabolite from the soil bacteria Streptomyces bottropensis.

Mensacarcin is a highly oxidized and stereogenic complex molecule that can be obtained in large amounts from these bacteria. The properties of this compound are important as there are few therapies that effectively manage melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.