Since Selman Waksman's discovery of streptomycin in 1944, aminoglycosides have been at the forefront of antibacterial drug treatment. Advances in carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry, coupled with other technological advances in nucleic acid synthesis, biochemistry and structure analysis have led to a substantial increase in aminoglycoside research among both chemists and biochemists. While by no means exhaustive, this endeavor attempts to chronicle the advances made in aminoglycoside-related work over the last two decades to assist new researchers in the field of aminoglycoside research while also offering a reference guide for the expert. Any omission of work is unintentional and due partly to the time constraints always present in such a venture.
In the introduction. Dr. Davies1 narrative of aminoglycoside research provides us with an elegant historical perspective on aminoglycoside discovery and the mechanism of action over the past 50 years. Chapter 2 illustrates the progress made in the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways for aminoglycoside synthesis. Piepersburg and coworkers have outlined the major pathways and their work should serve as an important reference guide for years to come. A major problem in aminoglycoside therapy has been drug resistance and in Chapter 3 are the findings of Shakya and Wright regarding their articulation of the major mechanisms of aminoglycoside resistance and the possible methods for overcoming these pathways. To get past the resistance mechanisms, chemistry and biology must come together and in Chapter 4, Wang and Chang summarize the synthetic advances made in aminoglycoside chemistry over the past decade and their uses in the development of improved antibiotics...