1
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Fihn CA, Lembke HK, Gaulin J, Bouchard P, Villarreal AR, Penningroth MR, Crone KK, Vogt GA, Gilbertsen AJ, Ayotte Y, Coutinho de Oliveira L, Serrano-Wu MH, Drouin N, Hung DT, Hunter RC, Carlson EE. Evaluation of expanded 2-aminobenzothiazole library as inhibitors of a model histidine kinase and virulence suppressors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bioorg Chem 2024; 153:107840. [PMID: 39362083 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 09/14/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a rapidly increasing threat to human health. New strategies to combat resistant organisms are desperately needed. One potential avenue is targeting two-component systems, which are the main bacterial signal transduction pathways used to regulate development, metabolism, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. These systems consist of a homodimeric membrane-bound sensor histidine kinase, and a cognate effector, the response regulator. Histidine kinases play an essential role in the regulation of multiple virulence mechanisms including toxin production, immune evasion, and antibiotic resistance. Targeting virulence, as opposed to development of bactericidal compounds, could reduce evolutionary pressure for acquired resistance. Additionally, compounds targeting the highly conserved catalytic and adenosine triphosphate-binding (CA) domain have the potential to impair multiple two-component systems that regulate virulence in one or more pathogens. We conducted in vitro structure-activity relationship studies of 2-aminobenzothiazole-based inhibitors designed to target the CA domain. We found that these compounds, which inhibit the model histidine kinase, HK853 from Thermotoga maritima, have anti-virulence activities inPseudomonas aeruginosa, reducing motility phenotypes and toxin production associated with the pathogenic functions of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A Fihn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Hannah K Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States
| | - Jeffrey Gaulin
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Patricia Bouchard
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec H1Y 2R1, Canada
| | - Alex R Villarreal
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Mitchell R Penningroth
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Kathryn K Crone
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Grace A Vogt
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Adam J Gilbertsen
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Yann Ayotte
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec H1Y 2R1, Canada
| | | | | | - Nathalie Drouin
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec H1Y 2R1, Canada
| | - Deborah T Hung
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Ryan C Hunter
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
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2
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Fernandez-Ciruelos B, Albanese M, Adhav A, Solomin V, Ritchie-Martinez A, Taverne F, Velikova N, Jirgensons A, Marina A, Finn PW, Wells JM. Repurposing Hsp90 inhibitors as antimicrobials targeting two-component systems identifies compounds leading to loss of bacterial membrane integrity. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0014624. [PMID: 38917423 PMCID: PMC11302729 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00146-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of antimicrobials with novel mechanisms of action is crucial to tackle the foreseen global health crisis due to antimicrobial resistance. Bacterial two-component signaling systems (TCSs) are attractive targets for the discovery of novel antibacterial agents. TCS-encoding genes are found in all bacterial genomes and typically consist of a sensor histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator. Due to the conserved Bergerat fold in the ATP-binding domain of the TCS HK and the human chaperone Hsp90, there has been much interest in repurposing inhibitors of Hsp90 as antibacterial compounds. In this study, we explore the chemical space of the known Hsp90 inhibitor scaffold 3,4-diphenylpyrazole (DPP), building on previous literature to further understand their potential for HK inhibition. Six DPP analogs inhibited HK autophosphorylation in vitro and had good antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. However, mechanistic studies showed that their antimicrobial activity was related to damage of bacterial membranes. In addition, DPP analogs were cytotoxic to human embryonic kidney cell lines and induced the cell arrest phenotype shown for other Hsp90 inhibitors. We conclude that these DPP structures can be further optimized as specific disruptors of bacterial membranes providing binding to Hsp90 and cytotoxicity are lowered. Moreover, the X-ray crystal structure of resorcinol, a substructure of the DPP derivatives, bound to the HK CheA represents a promising starting point for the fragment-based design of novel HK inhibitors. IMPORTANCE The discovery of novel antimicrobials is of paramount importance in tackling the imminent global health crisis of antimicrobial resistance. The discovery of novel antimicrobials with novel mechanisms of actions, e.g., targeting bacterial two-component signaling systems, is crucial to bypass existing resistance mechanisms and stimulate pharmaceutical innovations. Here, we explore the possible repurposing of compounds developed in cancer research as inhibitors of two-component systems and investigate their off-target effects such as bacterial membrane disruption and toxicity. These results highlight compounds that are promising for further development of novel bacterial membrane disruptors and two-component system inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Fernandez-Ciruelos
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Dept. Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marco Albanese
- Oxford Drug Design (ODD), Oxford Centre for Innovation, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Computer Science, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anmol Adhav
- Macromolecular Crystallography Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IBV-CSIC) and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Vitalii Solomin
- Organic Synthesis Methodology Group, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), Riga, Latvia
| | - Arabela Ritchie-Martinez
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Dept. Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Femke Taverne
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Dept. Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nadya Velikova
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Dept. Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Aigars Jirgensons
- Organic Synthesis Methodology Group, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), Riga, Latvia
| | - Alberto Marina
- Macromolecular Crystallography Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IBV-CSIC) and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Paul W. Finn
- Oxford Drug Design (ODD), Oxford Centre for Innovation, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Computer Science, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jerry M. Wells
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Dept. Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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3
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Ahsan R, Kifayat S, Pooniya KK, Kularia S, Adimalla BS, Sanapalli BKR, Sanapalli V, Sigalapalli DK. Bacterial Histidine Kinase and the Development of Its Inhibitors in the 21st Century. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:576. [PMID: 39061258 PMCID: PMC11274179 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13070576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial histidine kinase (BHK) is a constituent of the two-component signaling (TCS) pathway, which is responsible for the regulation of a number of processes connected to bacterial pathogenicity, virulence, biofilm development, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial persistence. As BHK regulation is diverse, inhibitors can be developed, such as antibiotic synergists, bacteriostatic/bactericidal agents, virulence inhibitors, and biofilm inhibitors. Inhibition of essential BHK has always been an amenable strategy due to the conserved binding sites of the domains across bacterial species and growth dependence. Hence, an inhibitor of BHK might block multiple TCS regulatory networks. This review describes the TCS system and the role of BHK in bacterial virulence and discusses the available inhibitors of BHK, which is a specific response regulator with essential structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragib Ahsan
- Department of Pharmacy, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University, Jaipur 303121, Rajasthan, India (S.K.)
| | - Sumaiya Kifayat
- Department of Pharmacy, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University, Jaipur 303121, Rajasthan, India (S.K.)
| | - Krishan Kumar Pooniya
- Department of Pharmacy, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University, Jaipur 303121, Rajasthan, India (S.K.)
| | - Sunita Kularia
- Department of Pharmacology, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University, Jaipur 303121, Rajasthan, India;
| | - Bhavani Sailu Adimalla
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Vignan Pharmacy College, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Vadlamudi, Guntur 522213, Andhra Pradesh, India;
| | - Bharat Kumar Reddy Sanapalli
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Deemed to-be-University, Jadcherla 509301, Hyderabad, India;
| | - Vidyasrilekha Sanapalli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Deemed to-be-University, Jadcherla 509301, Hyderabad, India
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4
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Fihn CA, Lembke HK, Gaulin J, Bouchard P, Villarreal AR, Penningroth MR, Crone KK, Vogt GA, Gilbertsen AJ, Ayotte Y, de Oliveira LC, Serrano-Wu MH, Drouin N, Hung DT, Hunter RC, Carlson EE. Evaluation of Expanded 2-Aminobenzothiazole Library for Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Phenotypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.02.539119. [PMID: 37205454 PMCID: PMC10187220 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a rapidly increasing threat to human health. New strategies to combat resistant organisms are desperately needed. One potential avenue is targeting two-component systems, which are the main bacterial signal transduction pathways used to regulate development, metabolism, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. These systems consist of a homodimeric membrane-bound sensor histidine kinase, and a cognate effector, the response regulator. The high sequence conservation in the catalytic and adenosine triphosphate-binding (CA) domain of histidine kinases and their essential role in bacterial signal transduction could enable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Through this signal transduction, histidine kinases regulate multiple virulence mechanisms including toxin production, immune evasion, and antibiotic resistance. Targeting virulence, as opposed to development of bactericidal compounds, could reduce evolutionary pressure for acquired resistance. Additionally, compounds targeting the CA domain have the potential to impair multiple two-component systems that regulate virulence in one or more pathogens. We conducted structure-activity relationship studies of 2-aminobenzothiazole-based inhibitors designed to target the CA domain of histidine kinases. We found these compounds have anti-virulence activities in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reducing motility phenotypes and toxin production associated with the pathogenic functions of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A. Fihn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Hannah K. Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
| | - Jeffrey Gaulin
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Patricia Bouchard
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Alex R. Villarreal
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mitchell R. Penningroth
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kathryn K. Crone
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Grace A. Vogt
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adam J. Gilbertsen
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yann Ayotte
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | | | | | - Nathalie Drouin
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Deborah T. Hung
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Ryan C. Hunter
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E. Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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Ouassaf M, Bourougaa L, Al-Mijalli SH, Abdallah EM, Bhat AR, A. Kawsar SM. Marine-Derived Compounds as Potential Inhibitors of Hsp90 for Anticancer and Antimicrobial Drug Development: A Comprehensive In Silico Study. Molecules 2023; 28:8074. [PMID: 38138564 PMCID: PMC10871121 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28248074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine compounds constitute a diverse and invaluable resource for the discovery of bioactive substances with promising applications in the pharmaceutical development of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. In this study, a comprehensive methodology was employed, encompassing pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, in silico ADMET assessment (encompassing aspects of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity), and molecular dynamics simulations. These methods were applied to identify new inhibitors targeting the Hsp90 protein (heat shock protein 90), commencing with a diverse assembly of compounds sourced from marine origins. During the virtual screening phase, an extensive exploration was conducted on a dataset comprising 31,488 compounds sourced from the CMNPD database, characterized by a wide array of molecular structures. The principal objective was the development of structure-based pharmacophore models, a valuable approach when the pool of known ligands is limited. The pharmacophore model DDRRR was successfully constructed within the active sites of the Hsp90 crystal structure. Subsequent docking studies led to the identification of six compounds (CMNPD 22591, 9335, 10015, 360799, 15115, and 20988) demonstrating substantial binding affinities, each with values below -8.3 kcal/mol. In the realm of in silico ADMET predictions, five of these compounds exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations and total binding energy calculations using MM-PBSA indicated that these marine-derived compounds formed exceptionally stable complexes with the Hsp90 receptor over a 100-nanosecond simulation period. These findings underscore the considerable potential of these novel marine compounds as promising candidates for anticancer and antimicrobial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mebarka Ouassaf
- Group of Computational and Medicinal Chemistry, LMCE Laboratory, University of Biskra, Biskra 707000, Algeria;
| | - Lotfi Bourougaa
- Group of Computational and Medicinal Chemistry, LMCE Laboratory, University of Biskra, Biskra 707000, Algeria;
| | - Samiah Hamad Al-Mijalli
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emad M. Abdallah
- Department of Science Laboratories, College of Science and Arts, Qassim University, Ar Rass 51921, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ajmal R. Bhat
- Department of Chemistry, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440033, India;
| | - Sarkar M. A. Kawsar
- Laboratory of Carbohydrate and Nucleoside Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh;
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6
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Synthesis and SAR of phenylazoles, active against Staphylococcus aureus Newman. Chem Heterocycl Compd (N Y) 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10593-023-03151-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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7
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Chen H, Yu C, Wu H, Li G, Li C, Hong W, Yang X, Wang H, You X. Recent Advances in Histidine Kinase-Targeted Antimicrobial Agents. Front Chem 2022; 10:866392. [PMID: 35860627 PMCID: PMC9289397 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.866392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens significantly limited the number of effective antibiotics available clinically, which urgently requires new drug targets to screen, design, and develop novel antibacterial drugs. Two-component system (TCS), which is comprised of a histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR), is a common mechanism whereby bacteria can sense a range of stimuli and make an appropriate adaptive response. HKs as the sensor part of the bacterial TCS can regulate various processes such as growth, vitality, antibiotic resistance, and virulence, and have been considered as a promising target for antibacterial drugs. In the current review, we highlighted the structural basis and functional importance of bacterial TCS especially HKs as a target in the discovery of new antimicrobials, and summarize the latest research progress of small-molecule HK-inhibitors as potential novel antimicrobial drugs reported in the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtong Chen
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chengqi Yu
- School of Basic Medical Science, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Han Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Congran Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Yang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Institute of National Security, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xuefu You
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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8
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Synthesis of alkoxy-isoflavones as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors. Med Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00044-022-02910-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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9
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Yang X, Kowallis KA, Childers WS. Protein engineering strategies to stimulate the functions of bacterial pseudokinases. Methods Enzymol 2022; 667:275-302. [PMID: 35525544 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes orchestrate an array of concerted functions that often culminate in the chemical conversion of substrates into products. In the bacterial kingdom, histidine kinases autophosphorylate, then transfer that phosphate to a second protein called a response regulator. Bacterial genomes can encode large numbers of histidine kinases that provide surveillance of environmental and cytosolic stresses through signal stimulation of histidine kinase activity. Pseudokinases lack these hallmark catalytic functions but often retain binding interactions and allostery. Characterization of bacterial pseudokinases then takes a fundamentally different approach than their enzymatic counterparts. Here we discuss models for how bacterial pseudokinases can utilize protein-protein interactions and allostery to serve as crucial signaling pathway regulators. Then we describe a protein engineering strategy to interrogate these models, emphasizing how signals flow within bacterial pseudokinases. This description includes design considerations, cloning strategies, and the purification of leucine zippers fused to pseudokinases. We then describe two assays to interrogate this approach. First is a C. crescentus swarm plate assay to track motility phenotypes related to a bacterial pseudokinase. Second is an in vitro coupled-enzyme assay that can be applied to test if and how a pseudokinase regulates an active kinase. Together these approaches provide a blueprint for dissecting the mechanisms of cryptic bacterial pseudokinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaole Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Kimberly A Kowallis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - W Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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10
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King A, Blackledge MS. Evaluation of small molecule kinase inhibitors as novel antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. Chem Biol Drug Des 2021; 98:1038-1064. [PMID: 34581492 PMCID: PMC8616828 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a global and pressing concern. Our current therapeutic arsenal is increasingly limited as bacteria are developing resistance at a rate that far outpaces our ability to create new treatments. Novel approaches to treating and curing bacterial infections are urgently needed. Bacterial kinases have been increasingly explored as novel drug targets and are poised for development into novel therapeutic agents to combat bacterial infections. This review describes several general classes of bacterial kinases that play important roles in bacterial growth, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm formation. General features of these kinase classes are discussed and areas of particular interest for the development of inhibitors will be highlighted. Small molecule kinase inhibitors are described and organized by phenotypic effect, spotlighting particularly interesting inhibitors with novel functions and potential therapeutic benefit. Finally, we provide our perspective on the future of bacterial kinase inhibition as a viable strategy to combat bacterial infections and overcome the pressures of increasing antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley King
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, NC 27268
| | - Meghan S. Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, NC 27268
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11
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Fihn CA, Carlson EE. Targeting a highly conserved domain in bacterial histidine kinases to generate inhibitors with broad spectrum activity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 61:107-114. [PMID: 33932730 PMCID: PMC8189720 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the rise in antimicrobial resistance and the dearth of effective strategies to combat this threat, the development of novel therapies is of utmost importance. Targeting of bacterial signaling through their the two-component systems (TCSs) may be a viable strategy. TCSs are comprised of a sensory histidine kinase (HK), of which a bacterium can have up to 160 distinct proteins, and a cognate response regulator (RR). The TCSs are generally non-essential for life, but control many virulence and antibiotic-resistance mechanisms. This, along with their absence in animals makes the TCSs an attractive target for antimicrobial therapy, whether as a stand-alone treatments or adjuvants for existing therapies. This review focuses on progress in the development of inhibitors that target the HK ATP-binding domain. Because this domain is highly conserved, it may be feasible to disrupt multiple TCSs within a single organism to increase effectiveness and reduce pressure for the evolution of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A Fihn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States.
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12
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Dutta Gupta S, Pan CH. Recent update on discovery and development of Hsp90 inhibitors as senolytic agents. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 161:1086-1098. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.06.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Duvall SW, Childers WS. Design of a Histidine Kinase FRET Sensor to Detect Complex Signal Integration within Living Bacteria. ACS Sens 2020; 5:1589-1596. [PMID: 32495620 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Histidine kinases (HK) switch between conformational states that promote kinase and phosphatase activities to regulate diverse cellular processes. Past studies have shown that these functional states can display heterogeneity between cells in microbial communities and can vary at the subcellular level. Methods to track and correlate the kinase conformational state with the phenotypic response of living bacteria cells will offer new opportunities to interrogate bacterial signaling mechanisms. As a proof of principle, we incorporated both mClover3 (donor) and mRuby3 (acceptor) fluorescent proteins into the Caulobacter crescentus cell-cycle HK CckA as an in vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensor to detect these structural changes. Our engineered FRET sensor was responsive to CckA-specific input signals and detected subcellular changes in CckA signal integration that occurs as cells develop. We demonstrated the potential of using the CckA FRET sensor as an in vivo screening tool for HK inhibitors. In summary, we have developed a new HK FRET sensor design strategy that can be adopted to monitor in vivo changes for interrogation of a broad range of signaling mechanisms in living bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel W. Duvall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - W. Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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Rosales-Hurtado M, Meffre P, Szurmant H, Benfodda Z. Synthesis of histidine kinase inhibitors and their biological properties. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:1440-1495. [PMID: 31802520 DOI: 10.1002/med.21651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria represent a significant and ever-increasing cause of morbidity and mortality. There is thus an urgent need to develop efficient and well-tolerated antibacterials targeting unique cellular processes. Numerous studies have led to the identification of new biological targets to fight bacterial resistance. Two-component signal transduction systems are widely employed by bacteria to translate external and cellular signals into a cellular response. They are ubiquitous in bacteria, absent in the animal kingdom and are integrated into various virulence pathways. Several chemical series, including isothiazolidones, imidazolium salts, benzoxazines, salicylanilides, thiophenes, thiazolidiones, benzimidazoles, and other derivatives deduced by different approaches have been reported in the literature to have histidine kinase (HK) inhibitory activity. In this review, we report on the design and the synthesis of these HKs inhibitors and their potential to serve as antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hendrik Szurmant
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
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Abstract
Over the past decade the number and variety of protein post-translational modifications that have been detected and characterized in bacteria have rapidly increased. Most post-translational protein modifications occur in a relatively low number of bacterial proteins in comparison with eukaryotic proteins, and most of the modified proteins carry low, substoichiometric levels of modification; therefore, their structural and functional analysis is particularly challenging. The number of modifying enzymes differs greatly among bacterial species, and the extent of the modified proteome strongly depends on environmental conditions. Nevertheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating that protein post-translational modifications have vital roles in various cellular processes such as protein synthesis and turnover, nitrogen metabolism, the cell cycle, dormancy, sporulation, spore germination, persistence and virulence. Further research of protein post-translational modifications will fill current gaps in the understanding of bacterial physiology and open new avenues for treatment of infectious diseases.
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Abstract
Spatial control of intracellular signaling relies on signaling proteins sensing their subcellular environment. In many cases, a large number of upstream signals are funneled to a master regulator of cellular behavior, but it remains unclear how individual proteins can rapidly integrate a complex array of signals within the appropriate spatial niche within the cell. As a model for how subcellular spatial information can control signaling activity, we have reconstituted the cell pole-specific control of the master regulator kinase/phosphatase CckA from the asymmetrically dividing bacterium Caulobacter crescentus CckA is active as a kinase only when it accumulates within a microdomain at the new cell pole, where it colocalizes with the pseudokinase DivL. Both proteins contain multiple PAS domains, a multifunctional class of sensory domains present across the kingdoms of life. Here, we show that CckA uses its PAS domains to integrate information from DivL and its own oligomerization state to control the balance of its kinase and phosphatase activities. We reconstituted the DivL-CckA complex on liposomes in vitro and found that DivL directly controls the CckA kinase/phosphatase switch, and that stimulation of either CckA catalytic activity depends on the second of its two PAS domains. We further show that CckA oligomerizes through a multidomain interaction that is critical for stimulation of kinase activity by DivL, while DivL stimulation of CckA phosphatase activity is independent of CckA homooligomerization. Our results broadly demonstrate how signaling factors can leverage information from their subcellular niche to drive spatiotemporal control of cell signaling.
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Discovery of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid conjugated aminobenzothiazole derivatives as Hsp90-Cdc37 interaction disruptors that inhibit cell migration and reverse drug resistance. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:1759-1775. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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