Integrated bacterial genomics for the discovery of novel antimicrobials.

Sequencing of bacterial genomes has been progressing with breathtaking speed. Currently, the genomes of 23 bacterial species are sequenced, with approximately 40 more sequencing projects in progress. Industrial research is now facing the challenge of translating this information efficiently into drug discovery. This review will summarize the impact of bacterial genomics, bioinformatics and second-generation genomic technologies on target identification, assay development, lead optimization and compound characterization.