Many of the diseases most dangerous and costly to humans are caused by viruses. While the limited number of currently available antiviral drugs suggests that it is possible to inhibit viral replication with small molecule inhibitors, problems including side effects, cost, and the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains necessitate the discovery of additional antiviral drugs with new modes of action. Deep-sea microorganisms represent a virtually untapped source of novel chemical structures, and are a likely source of new antiviral lead compounds. Microorganisms from deep-sea sediment cores will therefore be gathered, cultured, and extracted. Natural products from these extracts will be fractionated based on bioassays with several viral targets. Pure compounds with viral activity will then be spectroscopically identified and used as initial leads for antiviral drugs.
