Toxic sewage sludge disposed in forests generally kills most fungi. However, some toxin-tolerant fungi appear to use sludge-originated toxins and their degradation products as substrate for the synthesis of new compounds that may function as antimicrobial agents. Our project seeks to identify specific toxins in sewage sludge that incite fungi to synthesize novel antimicrobial agents representing a new class of antibiotic products for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections.