1
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Balogh H, Anthony AK, Stempel R, Vossen L, Federico VA, Valenzano GZ, Blackledge MS, Miller HB. Novel anti-virulence compounds disrupt exotoxin expression in MRSA. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0146424. [PMID: 39431895 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01464-24] [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: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Hemolysins are lytic exotoxins expressed in most strains of S. aureus, but hemolytic activity varies between strains. We have previously reported several novel anti-virulence compounds that disrupt the S. aureus transcriptome, including hemolysin gene expression. This report delves further into our two lead compounds, loratadine and a structurally related brominated carbazole, and their effects on hemolysin production in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). To gain understanding into how these compounds affect hemolysis, we analyzed these exotoxins at the DNA, RNA, and protein level after in vitro treatment. While lysis of red blood cells varied between strains, DNA sequence variation did not account for it. We hypothesized that our compounds would modulate gene expression of multiple hemolysins in two hospital-acquired strains of MRSA, both with staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type II. RNA-seq analysis of differential gene expression in untreated and compound-treated cultures revealed hundreds of differentially expressed genes, with a significant enrichment in genes involved in hemolysis. The brominated carbazole and loratadine both displayed the ability to reduce hemolysis in strain 43300 but displayed differential activity in strain USA100. These results corroborate gene expression studies as well as western blots of alpha hemolysin. Together, this work suggests that small molecules may alter exotoxin production in MRSA but that the directionality and/or magnitude of the difference are likely strain dependent.IMPORTANCEMethicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a deadly human pathogen. In addition to evading antibiotics, these bacteria produce a wide range of toxins that negatively affect the host. Our work aims to identify and characterize novel compounds that can decrease the pathogenic effects of MRSA. Two lead compounds investigated in this study triggered changes in the production of multiple toxins. These changes were specific to the strain of MRSA investigated. Specifically, this work sheds light on novel compounds that decrease MRSA's ability to lyse host red blood cells. Importantly, it also highlights the importance of examining strain-specific differences in response to therapeutic interventions that could ultimately affect clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halie Balogh
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amaiya K Anthony
- Department of Biology, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robin Stempel
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lauren Vossen
- Department of Biology, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Victoria A Federico
- Department of Biology, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gabriel Z Valenzano
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Meghan S Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | - Heather B Miller
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
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2
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Qiu Z, Huang R, Wu Y, Li X, Sun C, Ma Y. Decoding the Structural Diversity: A New Horizon in Antimicrobial Prospecting and Mechanistic Investigation. Microb Drug Resist 2024; 30:254-272. [PMID: 38648550 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2023.0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The escalating crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) underscores the urgent need for novel antimicrobials. One promising strategy is the exploration of structural diversity, as diverse structures can lead to diverse biological activities and mechanisms of action. This review delves into the role of structural diversity in antimicrobial discovery, highlighting its influence on factors such as target selectivity, binding affinity, pharmacokinetic properties, and the ability to overcome resistance mechanisms. We discuss various approaches for exploring structural diversity, including combinatorial chemistry, diversity-oriented synthesis, and natural product screening, and provide an overview of the common mechanisms of action of antimicrobials. We also describe techniques for investigating these mechanisms, such as genomics, proteomics, and structural biology. Despite significant progress, several challenges remain, including the synthesis of diverse compound libraries, the identification of active compounds, the elucidation of complex mechanisms of action, the emergence of AMR, and the translation of laboratory discoveries to clinical applications. However, emerging trends and technologies, such as artificial intelligence, high-throughput screening, next-generation sequencing, and open-source drug discovery, offer new avenues to overcome these challenges. Looking ahead, we envisage an exciting future for structural diversity-oriented antimicrobial discovery, with opportunities for expanding the chemical space, harnessing the power of nature, deepening our understanding of mechanisms of action, and moving toward personalized medicine and collaborative drug discovery. As we face the continued challenge of AMR, the exploration of structural diversity will be crucial in our search for new and effective antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziying Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Rongkun Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yuxuan Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xinghao Li
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Chunyu Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yunqi Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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3
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Viering B, Balogh H, Cox CF, Kirpekar OK, Akers AL, Federico VA, Valenzano GZ, Stempel R, Pickett HL, Lundin PM, Blackledge MS, Miller HB. Loratadine Combats Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Modulating Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Biofilm Genes. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:232-250. [PMID: 38153409 PMCID: PMC10788911 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00616] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has evolved to become resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. New antibiotics are costly to develop and deploy, and they have a limited effective lifespan. Antibiotic adjuvants are molecules that potentiate existing antibiotics through nontoxic mechanisms. We previously reported that loratadine, the active ingredient in Claritin, potentiates multiple cell-wall active antibiotics in vitro and disrupts biofilm formation through a hypothesized inhibition of the master regulatory kinase Stk1. Loratadine and oxacillin combined repressed the expression of key antibiotic resistance genes in the bla and mec operons. We hypothesized that additional genes involved in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and other cellular pathways would be modulated when looking transcriptome-wide. To test this, we used RNA-seq to quantify transcript levels and found significant effects in gene expression, including genes controlling virulence, antibiotic resistance, metabolism, transcription (core RNA polymerase subunits and sigma factors), and translation (a plethora of genes encoding ribosomal proteins and elongation factor Tu). We further demonstrated the impacts of these transcriptional effects by investigating loratadine treatment on intracellular ATP levels, persister formation, and biofilm formation and morphology. Loratadine minimized biofilm formation in vitro and enhanced the survival of infected Caenorhabditis elegans. These pleiotropic effects and their demonstrated outcomes on MRSA virulence and survival phenotypes position loratadine as an attractive anti-infective against MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna
L. Viering
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Halie Balogh
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Chloe F. Cox
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Owee K. Kirpekar
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - A. Luke Akers
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Victoria A. Federico
- Department
of Biology, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Gabriel Z. Valenzano
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Robin Stempel
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Hannah L. Pickett
- Department
of Biology, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Pamela M. Lundin
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Meghan S. Blackledge
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Heather B. Miller
- Department
of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
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4
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Comparative Genomics Identifies Novel Genetic Changes Associated with Oxacillin, Vancomycin and Daptomycin Susceptibility in ST100 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020372. [PMID: 36830286 PMCID: PMC9952151 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections due to vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous VISA (hVISA) represent a serious concern due to their association with vancomycin treatment failure. However, the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for the hVISA/VISA phenotype is complex and not yet fully understood. We have previously characterized two ST100-MRSA-hVISA clinical isolates recovered before and after 40 days of vancomycin treatment (D1 and D2, respectively) and two in vitro VISA derivatives (D23C9 and D2P11), selected independently from D2 in the presence of vancomycin. This follow-up study was aimed at further characterizing these isogenic strains and obtaining their whole genome sequences to unravel changes associated with antibiotic resistance. It is interesting to note that none of these isogenic strains carry SNPs in the regulatory operons vraUTSR, walKR and/or graXRS. Nonetheless, genetic changes including SNPs, INDELs and IS256 genomic insertions/rearrangements were found both in in vivo and in vitro vancomycin-selected strains. Some were found in the downstream target genes of the aforementioned regulatory operons, which are involved in cell wall and phosphate metabolism, staphylococcal growth and biofilm formation. Some of the genetic changes reported herein have not been previously associated with vancomycin, daptomycin and/or oxacillin resistance in S. aureus.
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5
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Huemer M, Mairpady Shambat S, Hertegonne S, Bergada-Pijuan J, Chang CC, Pereira S, Gómez-Mejia A, Van Gestel L, Bär J, Vulin C, Pfammatter S, Stinear TP, Monk IR, Dworkin J, Zinkernagel AS. Serine-threonine phosphoregulation by PknB and Stp contributes to quiescence and antibiotic tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eabj8194. [PMID: 36595572 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abj8194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus can cause infections that are often chronic and difficult to treat, even when the bacteria are not antibiotic resistant because most antibiotics act only on metabolically active cells. Subpopulations of persister cells are metabolically quiescent, a state associated with delayed growth, reduced protein synthesis, and increased tolerance to antibiotics. Serine-threonine kinases and phosphatases similar to those found in eukaryotes can fine-tune essential bacterial cellular processes, such as metabolism and stress signaling. We found that acid stress-mimicking conditions that S. aureus experiences in host tissues delayed growth, globally altered the serine and threonine phosphoproteome, and increased threonine phosphorylation of the activation loop of the serine-threonine protein kinase B (PknB). The deletion of stp, which encodes the only annotated functional serine-threonine phosphatase in S. aureus, increased the growth delay and phenotypic heterogeneity under different stress challenges, including growth in acidic conditions, the intracellular milieu of human cells, and abscesses in mice. This growth delay was associated with reduced protein translation and intracellular ATP concentrations and increased antibiotic tolerance. Using phosphopeptide enrichment and mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we identified targets of serine-threonine phosphorylation that may regulate bacterial growth and metabolism. Together, our findings highlight the importance of phosphoregulation in mediating bacterial quiescence and antibiotic tolerance and suggest that targeting PknB or Stp might offer a future therapeutic strategy to prevent persister formation during S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Huemer
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Srikanth Mairpady Shambat
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sanne Hertegonne
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Judith Bergada-Pijuan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sandro Pereira
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alejandro Gómez-Mejia
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lies Van Gestel
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julian Bär
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Clément Vulin
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sibylle Pfammatter
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Timothy P Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian R Monk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan Dworkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Annelies S Zinkernagel
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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6
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El-Sherbiny GM, Kalaba MH, Sharaf MH, Moghannem SA, Radwan AA, Askar AA, Ismail MKA, El-Hawary AS, Abushiba MA. Biogenic synthesis of CuO-NPs as nanotherapeutics approaches to overcome multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA). ARTIFICIAL CELLS, NANOMEDICINE, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 50:260-274. [DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2022.2126492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gamal M. El-Sherbiny
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed H. Kalaba
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohammed H. Sharaf
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Saad A. Moghannem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A. Radwan
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A. Askar
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud K. A. Ismail
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmad S. El-Hawary
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
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7
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The In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of Lysozyme against Gram-Positive Bacteria. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:4559982. [PMID: 35991138 PMCID: PMC9385363 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4559982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Objective To analyze the in vitro antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of lysozyme (LYS) and its combination with various drugs against Gram-positive bacteria (GPB, n = 9), thus to provide an exploration direction for drug development. Methods The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of linezolid (LZD), amikacin (AMK), ceftriaxone/sulbactam (CRO/SBT), cefotaxime/sulbactam (CTX/SBT), piperacillin/sulbactam (PIP/SBT), doxycycline (DOX), levofloxacin (LVX), amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium (7 : 1, AK71), imipenem (IPM), azithromycin (AZM), and their combinations with LYS were determined with tuber twice dilution. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of LYS, AZM, LVX, and their combinations with others were evaluated through MTT and crystal violet assay. Results High-dose LYS (30 μg/mL) combined with PIP/SBT and AK71, respectively, showed synergistic antibacterial activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), while it showed no synergistic activities when combined with other drugs. LYS and AZM inhibited the biofilm formation of one MRSA strain, but they and LVX had no similar activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF). Particularly, LYS increased the permeability of biofilms of MRSA 33 and exhibited antibiofilm activities against MRSA 31 (inhibition rate = 38.1%) and MRSE 61 (inhibition rate = 46.6%). The combinations of PIP/SBT+LYS, AMK+LYS, and LZD+LYS showed stronger antibiofilm activities against MRSA 62, MRSE 62, MRSE 63, and VREF 11. Conclusion The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of LYS against MRSA were better than AZM, while that of LYS against MRSE and VREF, respectively, was similar with AZM and LVX.
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8
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Viering B, Cunningham T, King A, Blackledge MS, Miller HB. Brominated Carbazole with Antibiotic Adjuvant Activity Displays Pleiotropic Effects in MRSA's Transcriptome. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1239-1248. [PMID: 35467845 PMCID: PMC9498981 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major threat to human health, as the US mortality rate outweighs those from HIV, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis combined. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections acquired during hospital stays have increased. Antibiotic adjuvants are a key strategy to combat these bacteria. We have evaluated several small molecule antibiotic adjuvants that have strong potentiation with β-lactam antibiotics and are likely inhibiting a master regulatory kinase, Stk1. Here, we investigated how the lead adjuvant (compound 8) exerts its effects in a more comprehensive manner. We hypothesized that the expression levels of key resistance genes would decrease once cotreated with oxacillin and the adjuvant. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses would reveal biochemical pathways enriched in differentially expressed genes. RNA-seq analysis showed 176 and 233 genes significantly up- and downregulated, respectively, in response to cotreatment. Gene ontology categories and biochemical pathways that were significantly enriched with downregulated genes involved carbohydrate utilization, such as the citrate cycle and the phosphotransferase system. One of the most populated pathways was S. aureus infection. Results from an interaction network constructed with affected gene products supported the hypothesis that Stk1 is a target of compound 8. This study revealed a dramatic impact of our lead adjuvant on the transcriptome that is consistent with a pleiotropic effect due to Stk1 inhibition. These results point to this antibiotic adjuvant having potential broad therapeutic use in combatting MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Viering
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Taylor Cunningham
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ashley King
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Meghan S Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Heather B Miller
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
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9
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Berndsen R, Cunningham T, Kaelin L, Callender M, Boldog WD, Viering B, King A, Labban N, Pollock JA, Miller HB, Blackledge MS. Identification and Evaluation of Brominated Carbazoles as a Novel Antibiotic Adjuvant Scaffold in MRSA. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:483-491. [PMID: 35295086 PMCID: PMC8919279 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Antibiotic-resistant
infections are a pressing global concern,
causing millions of deaths each year. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a leading cause of nosocomial
infections in healthcare settings and is increasingly responsible
for community-acquired infections that are often more difficult to
treat. Antibiotic adjuvants are small molecules that potentiate antibiotics
through nontoxic mechanisms and show excellent promise as novel therapeutics.
Screening of low-molecular-weight compounds was employed to identify
novel antibiotic adjuvant scaffolds for further elaboration. Brominated
carbazoles emerged from this screening as lead compounds for further
evaluation. Lead carbazoles were able to potentiate several β-lactam
antibiotics in three medically relevant strains of MRSA. Gene expression
studies determined that these carbazoles were dampening the transcription
of key genes that modulate β-lactam resistance in MRSA. The
lead brominated carbazoles represent novel scaffolds for elaboration
as antibiotic adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Berndsen
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Taylor Cunningham
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Lauren Kaelin
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Makayla Callender
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173, United States
| | - W. Dexter Boldog
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Brianna Viering
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ashley King
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Najwa Labban
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173, United States
| | - Julie A. Pollock
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173, United States
| | - Heather B. Miller
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Meghan S. Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, 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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Nagarajan SN, Lenoir C, Grangeasse C. Recent advances in bacterial signaling by serine/threonine protein kinases. Trends Microbiol 2021; 30:553-566. [PMID: 34836791 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
It has been nearly three decades since the discovery of the first bacterial serine/threonine protein kinase (STPK). Since then, a blend of technological advances has led to the characterization of a multitude of STPKs and phosphorylation substrates in several bacterial species that finely regulate intricate signaling cascades. Years of intense research from several laboratories have demonstrated unexpected roles for serine/threonine phosphorylation, regulating not only bacterial growth and cell division but also antibiotic persistence, virulence and infection, metabolism, chromosomal biology, and cellular differentiation. This review aims to provide an account of the most recent and significant developments in this up and growing field in microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathya Narayanan Nagarajan
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, UMR 5086, Université de Lyon, CNRS, IBCP building, 7 passage du Vercors, 69367 Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Cassandra Lenoir
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, UMR 5086, Université de Lyon, CNRS, IBCP building, 7 passage du Vercors, 69367 Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Christophe Grangeasse
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, UMR 5086, Université de Lyon, CNRS, IBCP building, 7 passage du Vercors, 69367 Lyon Cedex 07, France.
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12
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Khurana H, Srivastava M, Chaudhary D, Gosain TP, Kumari R, Bean AC, Chugh S, Maiti TK, Stephens CE, Asthana S, Singh R. Identification of diphenyl furan derivatives via high throughput and computational studies as ArgA inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 193:1845-1858. [PMID: 34762917 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Microbial amino acid biosynthetic pathways are underexploited for the development of anti-bacterial agents. N-acetyl glutamate synthase (ArgA) catalyses the first committed step in L-arginine biosynthesis and is essential for M. tuberculosis growth. Here, we have purified and optimized assay conditions for the acetylation of l-glutamine by ArgA. Using the optimized conditions, high throughput screening was performed to identify ArgA inhibitors. We identified 2,5-Bis (2-chloro-4-guanidinophenyl) furan, a dicationic diaryl furan derivatives, as ArgA inhibitor, with a MIC99 values of 1.56 μM against M. tuberculosis. The diaryl furan derivative displayed bactericidal killing against both M. bovis BCG and M. tuberculosis. Inhibition of ArgA by the lead compound resulted in transcriptional reprogramming and accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The lead compound and its derivatives showed micromolar binding with ArgA as observed in surface plasmon resonance and tryptophan quenching experiments. Computational and dynamic analysis revealed that these scaffolds share similar binding site residues with L-arginine, however, with slight variations in their interaction pattern. Partial restoration of growth upon supplementation of liquid cultures with either L-arginine or N-acetyl cysteine suggests a multi-target killing mechanism for the lead compound. Taken together, we have identified small molecule inhibitors against ArgA enzyme from M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harleen Khurana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Mitul Srivastava
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Deepika Chaudhary
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India; Manipal academy of higher education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104. India
| | - Tannu Priya Gosain
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Raniki Kumari
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Andrew C Bean
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Augusta University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
| | - Saurabh Chugh
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Tushar Kanti Maiti
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Chad E Stephens
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Augusta University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, USA.
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India.
| | - Ramandeep Singh
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India.
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13
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Kelliher JL, Grunenwald CM, Abrahams RR, Daanen ME, Lew CI, Rose WE, Sauer JD. PASTA kinase-dependent control of peptidoglycan synthesis via ReoM is required for cell wall stress responses, cytosolic survival, and virulence in Listeria monocytogenes. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009881. [PMID: 34624065 PMCID: PMC8528326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria rely on protein phosphorylation to adapt quickly to stress, including that imposed by the host during infection. Penicillin-binding protein and serine/threonine-associated (PASTA) kinases are signal transduction systems that sense cell wall integrity and modulate multiple facets of bacterial physiology in response to cell envelope stress. The PASTA kinase in the cytosolic pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, PrkA, is required for cell wall stress responses, cytosolic survival, and virulence, yet its substrates and downstream signaling pathways remain incompletely defined. We combined orthogonal phosphoproteomic and genetic analyses in the presence of a β-lactam antibiotic to define PrkA phosphotargets and pathways modulated by PrkA. These analyses synergistically highlighted ReoM, which was recently identified as a PrkA target that influences peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis, as an important phosphosubstrate during cell wall stress. We find that deletion of reoM restores cell wall stress sensitivities and cytosolic survival defects of a ΔprkA mutant to nearly wild-type levels. While a ΔprkA mutant is defective for PG synthesis during cell wall stress, a double ΔreoM ΔprkA mutant synthesizes PG at rates similar to wild type. In a mouse model of systemic listeriosis, deletion of reoM in a ΔprkA background almost fully restored virulence to wild-type levels. However, loss of reoM alone also resulted in attenuated virulence, suggesting ReoM is critical at some points during pathogenesis. Finally, we demonstrate that the PASTA kinase/ReoM cell wall stress response pathway is conserved in a related pathogen, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Taken together, our phosphoproteomic analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the PASTA kinase targets of an important model pathogen and suggests that a critical role of PrkA in vivo is modulating PG synthesis through regulation of ReoM to facilitate cytosolic survival and virulence. Many antibiotics target bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, justifying continued study of this process and the ways bacteria respond to cell wall insults during infection. Penicillin-binding protein and serine/threonine-associated (PASTA) kinases are master regulators of cell wall stress responses in bacteria and are conserved in several major pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We previously showed that the PASTA kinase in L. monocytogenes, PrkA, is essential for the response to cell wall stress and for virulence. In this work, we combined proteomic and genetic approaches to identify PrkA substrates in L. monocytogenes. We show that regulation of one candidate from both screens, ReoM, increases synthesis of the cell wall component peptidoglycan and that this regulation is required for pathogenesis. We also demonstrate that the PASTA kinase-ReoM pathway regulates cell wall stress responses in another significant pathogen, methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Additionally, we uncover a PrkA-independent role for ReoM in vivo in L. monocytogenes, suggesting a need for nuanced modulation of peptidoglycan synthesis during infection. Cumulatively, this study provides new insight into how bacterial pathogens control cell wall synthesis during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Kelliher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Caroline M. Grunenwald
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Rhiannon R. Abrahams
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - McKenzie E. Daanen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Cassandra I. Lew
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Warren E. Rose
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - John-Demian Sauer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Weber JI, Rigo GV, Rocha DA, Fortes IS, Seixas A, de Andrade SF, Tasca T. Modulation of peptidases by 2,4-diamine-quinazoline derivative induces cell death in the amitochondriate parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 139:111611. [PMID: 34243597 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is an amitochondriate protozoan and the agent of human trichomoniasis, the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. In this study we showed that 2,4-diamine-quinazoline derivative compound (PH100) kills T. vaginalis. PH100 showed activity against fresh clinical and American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) T. vaginalis isolates with no cytotoxicity against cells (HMVI, 3T3-C1 and VERO) and erythrocytes. In addition, PH100 showed synergistic action with metronidazole, indicating that these compounds act by different mechanisms. When investigating the mechanism of action of PH100 to ATCC 30236, apoptosis-like characteristics were observed, such as phosphatidylserine exposure, membrane alterations, and modulation of gene expression and activity of peptidases related to apoptosis. The apoptosis-like cell death features were not observed for the fresh clinical isolate treated with PH100 revealing distinct profiles. Our data revealed the heterogeneity among T. vaginalis isolates and contribute with the understanding of mechanisms of cell death in pathogenic eukaryotic organisms without mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Inês Weber
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Centre of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Graziela Vargas Rigo
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Centre of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Débora Assumpção Rocha
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Isadora Serraglio Fortes
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Adriana Seixas
- Department of Pharmacosciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Molecular Entomology, Brazil
| | - Saulo Fernandes de Andrade
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Centre of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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15
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Fisher JF, Mobashery S. β-Lactams against the Fortress of the Gram-Positive Staphylococcus aureus Bacterium. Chem Rev 2021; 121:3412-3463. [PMID: 33373523 PMCID: PMC8653850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The biological diversity of the unicellular bacteria-whether assessed by shape, food, metabolism, or ecological niche-surely rivals (if not exceeds) that of the multicellular eukaryotes. The relationship between bacteria whose ecological niche is the eukaryote, and the eukaryote, is often symbiosis or stasis. Some bacteria, however, seek advantage in this relationship. One of the most successful-to the disadvantage of the eukaryote-is the small (less than 1 μm diameter) and nearly spherical Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. For decades, successful clinical control of its infection has been accomplished using β-lactam antibiotics such as the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Over these same decades S. aureus has perfected resistance mechanisms against these antibiotics, which are then countered by new generations of β-lactam structure. This review addresses the current breadth of biochemical and microbiological efforts to preserve the future of the β-lactam antibiotics through a better understanding of how S. aureus protects the enzyme targets of the β-lactams, the penicillin-binding proteins. The penicillin-binding proteins are essential enzyme catalysts for the biosynthesis of the cell wall, and understanding how this cell wall is integrated into the protective cell envelope of the bacterium may identify new antibacterials and new adjuvants that preserve the efficacy of the β-lactams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed F Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
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16
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Meena CL, Singh P, Shaliwal RP, Kumar V, Kumar A, Tiwari AK, Asthana S, Singh R, Mahajan D. Synthesis and evaluation of thiophene based small molecules as potent inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 208:112772. [PMID: 32920342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we report the synthesis and anti-tubercular studies of novel molecules based on thiophene scaffold. We identified two novel small molecules 4a and 4b, which demonstrated 2-fold higher in vitro activity (MIC99: 0.195 μM) compared to first line TB drug, isoniazid (0.39 μM). The identified leads demonstrated additive effect with front line TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin and levofloxacin) and synergistic effect with a recently FDA-approved drug, bedaquiline. Mechanistic studies (i) negated the role of Pks13 and (ii) suggested the involvement of KatG in the anti-tubercular activity of these identified leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhuttan L Meena
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Padam Singh
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Ravi P Shaliwal
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Varun Kumar
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Arun Kumar
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Anoop Kumar Tiwari
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Ramandeep Singh
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India.
| | - Dinesh Mahajan
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India.
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17
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Are antibacterial effects of non-antibiotic drugs random or purposeful because of a common evolutionary origin of bacterial and mammalian targets? Infection 2020; 49:569-589. [PMID: 33325009 PMCID: PMC7737717 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-020-01547-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Advances in structural biology, genetics, bioinformatics, etc. resulted in the availability of an enormous pool of information enabling the analysis of the ancestry of pro- and eukaryotic genes and proteins. Methods This review summarizes findings of structural and/or functional homologies of pro- and eukaryotic enzymes catalysing analogous biological reactions because of their highly conserved active centres so that non-antibiotics interacted with bacterial targets. Results Protease inhibitors such as staurosporine or camostat inhibited bacterial serine/threonine or serine/tyrosine protein kinases, serine/threonine phosphatases, and serine/threonine kinases, to which penicillin-binding-proteins are linked, so that these drugs synergized with β-lactams, reverted aminoglycoside-resistance and attenuated bacterial virulence. Calcium antagonists such as nitrendipine or verapamil blocked not only prokaryotic ion channels but interacted with negatively charged bacterial cell membranes thus disrupting membrane energetics and inducing membrane stress response resulting in inhibition of P-glycoprotein such as bacterial pumps thus improving anti-mycobacterial activities of rifampicin, tetracycline, fluoroquinolones, bedaquilin and imipenem-activity against Acinetobacter spp. Ciclosporine and tacrolimus attenuated bacterial virulence. ACE-inhibitors like captopril interacted with metallo-β-lactamases thus reverting carbapenem-resistance; prokaryotic carbonic anhydrases were inhibited as well resulting in growth impairment. In general, non-antibiotics exerted weak antibacterial activities on their own but synergized with antibiotics, and/or reverted resistance and/or attenuated virulence. Conclusions Data summarized in this review support the theory that prokaryotic proteins represent targets for non-antibiotics because of a common evolutionary origin of bacterial- and mammalian targets resulting in highly conserved active centres of both, pro- and eukaryotic proteins with which the non-antibiotics interact and exert antibacterial actions.
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18
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Reis SVD, Ribeiro NS, Rocha DA, Fortes IS, Trentin DDS, Andrade SFD, Macedo AJ. N 4 -benzyl-N 2 -phenylquinazoline-2,4-diamine compound presents antibacterial and antibiofilm effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Chem Biol Drug Des 2020; 96:1372-1379. [PMID: 32542979 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the main agents involved with implant-related infections. Their ability to adhere to medical devices with subsequent biofilm formation is crucial to the development of these infections. Herein, we described the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of a quinazoline-based compound, N4 -benzyl-N2 -phenylquinazoline-2,4-diamine, against both biofilm-forming pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined as 25 µM for S. aureus and 15 µM for S. epidermidis. At sub-MIC concentrations (20 µM for S. aureus and 10 µM for S. epidermidis), the compound was able to inhibit biofilm formation without interfere with bacterial growth, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, surfaces coated with the quinazoline-based compound were able to prevent bacterial adherence. In addition, this compound presented no toxicity to human red blood cells at highest MIC 25 µM and in vivo toxicity assay using Galleria mellonella larvae resulted in 82% survival with a high dose of 500 mg/kg body weight. These features evidence quinazoline-based compound as interesting entities to promising applications in biomedical fields, such as antimicrobial and in anti-infective approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Vieira Dos Reis
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Nicole Sartori Ribeiro
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | | | - Danielle da Silva Trentin
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre José Macedo
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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19
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Regulation of virulence and antibiotic resistance in Gram-positive microbes in response to cell wall-active antibiotics. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2020; 32:217-222. [PMID: 31021953 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Antibiotic stress can evoke considerable genotypic and phenotypic changes in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we review recent studies describing altered virulence expression in response to cell wall-acting antibiotics and discuss mechanisms that coordinate regulation of the antibiotic response. RECENT FINDINGS Pleiotropic effects induced by antibiotic exposure include alterations to bacterial metabolism, cell wall structure and antibiotic resistance. In addition, subinhibitory concentrations of cell wall-active (CWA) antibiotics have increasingly been shown to induce the production of exotoxins and biofilm formation that may influence virulence. Remarkably, phenotypes associated with comparable antibiotic stresses can vary considerably, emphasizing the need to better understand the response to CWA antibiotics. Recent studies support both direct antibiotic recognition and recognition of antibiotic-induced stress to the bacterial cell wall. Specifically, bacterial two-component systems, penicillin-binding protein and serine/threonine kinase-associated kinases and conserved oxidative-stress sensors each contribute to modulating the antibiotic stress response. SUMMARY Bacterial sensory systems and global regulators coordinate signaling in response to CWA antibiotics. Regulation of the antibiotic response is complex and involves integration of signals from multiple response pathways. A better definition of the antibiotic stress response among Gram-positive pathogens may yield novel therapeutic targets to counter antibiotic resistance and virulence factor expression.
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20
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Bonne Køhler J, Jers C, Senissar M, Shi L, Derouiche A, Mijakovic I. Importance of protein Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphorylation for bacterial pathogenesis. FEBS Lett 2020; 594:2339-2369. [PMID: 32337704 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation regulates a large variety of biological processes in all living cells. In pathogenic bacteria, the study of serine, threonine, and tyrosine (Ser/Thr/Tyr) phosphorylation has shed light on the course of infectious diseases, from adherence to host cells to pathogen virulence, replication, and persistence. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomics has provided global maps of Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphosites in bacterial pathogens. Despite recent developments, a quantitative and dynamic view of phosphorylation events that occur during bacterial pathogenesis is currently lacking. Temporal, spatial, and subpopulation resolution of phosphorylation data is required to identify key regulatory nodes underlying bacterial pathogenesis. Herein, we discuss how technological improvements in sample handling, MS instrumentation, data processing, and machine learning should improve bacterial phosphoproteomic datasets and the information extracted from them. Such information is expected to significantly extend the current knowledge of Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphorylation in pathogenic bacteria and should ultimately contribute to the design of novel strategies to combat bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bonne Køhler
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Carsten Jers
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mériem Senissar
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lei Shi
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Division, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Abderahmane Derouiche
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Division, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ivan Mijakovic
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Systems and Synthetic Biology Division, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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21
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Thakur S, Goswami K, Rao P, Kaushik S, Singh BP, Kain P, Asthana S, Bhattacharjee S, Guchhait P, Eswaran SV. Fluoresceinated Aminohexanol Tethered Inositol Hexakisphosphate: Studies on Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster and Docking with 2P1M Receptor. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:9585-9597. [PMID: 32363311 PMCID: PMC7191843 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6; phytic acid) is considered as the second messenger and plays a very important role in plants, animals, and human beings. It is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially in dry fruits, bran, and seeds. The resulting anion is a colorless species that plays a critical role in nutrition and is believed to cure many diseases. A fluoresceinated aminohexanol tethered inositol hexakisphosphate (III) had been synthesized earlier involving many complicated steps. We describe here a simple two-step synthesis of (III) and its characterization using different techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-visible, ultraviolet-fluorescence, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopies. The effect of (III) has been investigated in the model systems, Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster. Using Schrodinger software, computational studies on the binding of (III) with the protein 2P1M (Auxin-receptor TIR1-adaptor ASK1 complex) has revealed strong binding propensity with this compound. These studies on the fluoresceinated tethered phytic acid could have far reaching implications on its efficacy for human health and treatment of diseases (cancer/tumor and glioblastoma) and for understanding phosphorous recycling in the environment, especially for plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujeet
Kumar Thakur
- TERI
School of Advanced Studies, Plot No. 10, Vasant Kunj Institutional Area, Vasant
Kunj, Institutional Area, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Krishnendu Goswami
- Regional
Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Pallavi Rao
- Amity
University, Noida, 201313 Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shivam Kaushik
- Regional
Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Bhanu Pratap Singh
- Translational
Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Pinky Kain
- Regional
Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational
Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Saikat Bhattacharjee
- Regional
Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Prasenjit Guchhait
- Regional
Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon
Expressway, Faridabad, 121001 Haryana, India
| | - Sambasivan V. Eswaran
- Teri
Deakin Nano Biotechnology Centre (TDNBC), Teri Gram, Gwal Pahari, Gurgaon- Faridabad Expressway, Gurugram, 122002 Haryana, India
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22
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Li N, Pang B, Liu G, Zhao X, Xu X, Jiang C, Yang B, Liu Y, Shi J. Lactobacillus rhamnosus from human breast milk shows therapeutic function against foodborne infection by multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli in mice. Food Funct 2020; 11:435-447. [DOI: 10.1039/c9fo01698h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lactobacillus rhamnosus shows higher therapeutic efficacy than antibiotic to treat drug-resistant E. coli infection in aspects of fast reducing coliform counts, increasing Lactobacillus amounts, and diminishing inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Bing Pang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Guanwen Liu
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Xixi Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Xiaoguang Xu
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Chunmei Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
| | - Baowei Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Yangling
- China
| | - Yanlin Liu
- College of Enology
- Northwest A&F University
- Yangling
- China
| | - Junling Shi
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology
- School of Life Sciences
- Northwestern Polytechnical University
- Xi'an
- China
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23
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Cutrona N, Gillard K, Ulrich R, Seemann M, Miller HB, Blackledge MS. From Antihistamine to Anti-infective: Loratadine Inhibition of Regulatory PASTA Kinases in Staphylococci Reduces Biofilm Formation and Potentiates β-Lactam Antibiotics and Vancomycin in Resistant Strains of Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:1397-1410. [PMID: 31132246 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus are important human pathogens responsible for two-thirds of all postsurgical infections of indwelling medical devices. Staphylococci form robust biofilms that provide a reservoir for chronic infection, and antibiotic-resistant isolates are increasingly common in both healthcare and community settings. Novel treatments that can simultaneously inhibit biofilm formation and antibiotic-resistance pathways are urgently needed to combat the increasing rates of antibiotic-resistant infections. Herein we report that loratadine, an FDA-approved antihistamine, significantly inhibits biofilm formation in both S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Furthermore, loratadine potentiates β-lactam antibiotics in methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus and potentiates both β-lactam antibiotics and vancomycin in vancomycin-resistant strains of S. aureus. Additionally, we elucidate loratadine's mechanism of action as a novel inhibitor of the regulatory PASTA kinases Stk and Stk1 in S. epidermidis and S. aureus, respectively. Finally, we describe how Stk1 inhibition affects the expression of genes involved in both biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in S. epidermidis and S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cutrona
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Kyra Gillard
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Rebecca Ulrich
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Mikaela Seemann
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Heather B. Miller
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Meghan S. Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
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Varon J, Baron RM. A current appraisal of evidence for the approach to sepsis and septic shock. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2019; 6:2049936119856517. [PMID: 31308945 PMCID: PMC6613063 DOI: 10.1177/2049936119856517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome of a dysregulated host response to infection. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, sepsis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Many aspects of the diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis require further study and remain controversial. This review aims to summarize relevant literature and controversies regarding the evaluation and management of sepsis and septic shock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Varon
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca M. Baron
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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25
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Biosynthesis of antibacterial compound against multidrug resistant foodborne pathogens by Phomopsis sp. XP-8. Food Control 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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26
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Schaenzer AJ, Wlodarchak N, Drewry DH, Zuercher WJ, Rose WE, Ferrer CA, Sauer JD, Striker R. GW779439X and Its Pyrazolopyridazine Derivatives Inhibit the Serine/Threonine Kinase Stk1 and Act As Antibiotic Adjuvants against β-Lactam-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:1508-1518. [PMID: 30059625 PMCID: PMC6779124 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As antibiotic resistance rises, there is a need for strategies such as antibiotic adjuvants to conserve already-established antibiotics. A family of bacterial kinases known as the penicillin-binding-protein and serine/threonine kinase-associated (PASTA) kinases has attracted attention as targets for antibiotic adjuvants for β-lactams. Here, we report that the pyrazolopyridazine GW779439X sensitizes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to various β-lactams through inhibition of the PASTA kinase Stk1. GW779439X potentiates β-lactam activity against multiple MRSA and MSSA isolates, including the sensitization of a ceftaroline-resistant isolate to ceftaroline. In silico modeling was used to guide the synthesis of GW779439X derivatives. The presence and orientation of GW779439X's methylpiperazine moiety was crucial for robust biochemical and microbiologic activity. Taken together, our data provide a proof of concept for developing the pyrazolopyridazines as selective Stk1 inhibitors which act across S. aureus isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Schaenzer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Nathan Wlodarchak
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - David H. Drewry
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, SGC Center for Chemical Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - William J. Zuercher
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, SGC Center for Chemical Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Warren E. Rose
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Carla A. Ferrer
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, SGC Center for Chemical Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - John-Demian Sauer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Rob Striker
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Medicine, W. S. Middleton Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
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Srivastava M, Suri C, Singh M, Mathur R, Asthana S. Molecular dynamics simulation reveals the possible druggable hot-spots of USP7. Oncotarget 2018; 9:34289-34305. [PMID: 30344943 PMCID: PMC6188144 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasticity in Ubiquitin Specific Proteases (USP7) inducing conformational changes at important areas has highlighted an intricate mechanism, by which USP7 is regulated. Given the importance of USP7 in oncogenic pathways and immune-oncology, identification of USP7 inhibitors has attracted considerable interest. Despite substantial efforts, the discovery of deubiquitinases (DUBs) inhibitors, knowledge of their binding site and understanding the possible mechanism of action has proven particularly challenging. We disclose the most likely binding site of P5091 (a potent USP7 inhibitor), which reveal a cryptic allosteric site through extensive computational studies in an inhibitor dependent and independent manner. Overall, these findings demonstrate the tractability and druggability of USP7. Through a series of molecular dynamics simulations and detailed quantitative analysis, a dynamically stable allosteric binding site near catalytic center of the inactive state of USP7 (site partially absent in active state), along with two newly identified sites have been revealed, which opens the avenue for rational structure-guided inhibitor designing in USP7 specific-manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitul Srivastava
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Charu Suri
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Mrityunjay Singh
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Rajani Mathur
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Puspvihar, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
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28
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The serine/threonine kinase Stk and the phosphatase Stp regulate cell wall synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13693. [PMID: 30209409 PMCID: PMC6135852 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32109-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell wall synthesis pathway producing peptidoglycan is a highly coordinated and tightly regulated process. Although the major components of bacterial cell walls have been known for decades, the complex regulatory network controlling peptidoglycan synthesis and many details of the cell division machinery are not well understood. The eukaryotic-like serine/threonine kinase Stk and the cognate phosphatase Stp play an important role in cell wall biosynthesis and drug resistance in S. aureus. We show that stp deletion has a pronounced impact on cell wall synthesis. Deletion of stp leads to a thicker cell wall and decreases susceptibility to lysostaphin. Stationary phase Δstp cells accumulate peptidoglycan precursors and incorporate higher amounts of incomplete muropeptides with non-glycine, monoglycine and monoalanine interpeptide bridges into the cell wall. In line with this cell wall phenotype, we demonstrate that the lipid II:glycine glycyltransferase FemX can be phosphorylated by the Ser/Thr kinase Stk in vitro. Mass spectrometric analyses identify Thr32, Thr36 and Ser415 as phosphoacceptors. The cognate phosphatase Stp dephosphorylates these phosphorylation sites. Moreover, Stk interacts with FemA and FemB, but is unable to phosphorylate them. Our data indicate that Stk and Stp modulate cell wall synthesis and cell division at several levels.
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29
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Bruchhagen C, Jarick M, Mewis C, Hertlein T, Niemann S, Ohlsen K, Peters G, Planz O, Ludwig S, Ehrhardt C. Metabolic conversion of CI-1040 turns a cellular MEK-inhibitor into an antibacterial compound. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9114. [PMID: 29904167 PMCID: PMC6002397 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27445-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza virus (IV) infections cause severe respiratory illnesses that can be complicated by bacterial super-infections. Previously, we identified the cellular Raf-MEK-ERK cascade as a promising antiviral target. Inhibitors of MEK, such as CI-1040, showed potent antiviral activity. However, it remained unclear if this inhibitor and its active form, ATR-002, might sensitize host cells to either IV or secondary bacterial infections. To address these questions, we studied the anti-pathogen activity of ATR-002 in comparison to CI-1040, particularly, its impact on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is a major cause of IV super-infections. We analysed IV and S. aureus titres in vitro during super-infection in the presence and absence of the drugs and characterized the direct impact of ATR-002 on bacterial growth and phenotypic changes. Importantly, neither CI-1040 nor ATR-002 treatment led to increased bacterial titres during super-infection, indicating that the drug does not sensitize cells for bacterial infection. In contrast, we rather observed reduced bacterial titres in presence of ATR-002. Surprisingly, ATR-002 also led to reduced bacterial growth in suspension cultures, reduced stress- and antibiotic tolerance without resistance induction. Our data identified for the first time that a particular MEK-inhibitor metabolite exhibits direct antibacterial activity, which is likely due to interference with the bacterial PknB kinase/Stp phosphatase signalling system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Bruchhagen
- Institute of Virology Muenster (IVM), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, D-48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Marcel Jarick
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2/D15, D-97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Mewis
- Institute of Virology Muenster (IVM), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, D-48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Tobias Hertlein
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2/D15, D-97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Silke Niemann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of Muenster, Domagkstr. 10, D-48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Knut Ohlsen
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2/D15, D-97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Georg Peters
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of Muenster, Domagkstr. 10, D-48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Oliver Planz
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 15, D-72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ludwig
- Institute of Virology Muenster (IVM), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, D-48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Christina Ehrhardt
- Institute of Virology Muenster (IVM), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, D-48149, Muenster, Germany.
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30
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Zheng W, Cai X, Li S, Li Z. Autophosphorylation Mechanism of the Ser/Thr Kinase Stk1 From Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:758. [PMID: 29731745 PMCID: PMC5920020 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr kinase Stk1 is crucial for virulence, cell wall biosynthesis, and drug susceptibility in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (MRSA). Importantly, MRSA lacking Stk1 become sensitive to β-lactam antibiotics, implying that Stk1 could be an alternative target for combination therapy. However, the autophosphorylation mechanism of Stk1 remains elusive. Using a phosphoproteomic study, we identified six in vivo phosphorylated activation loop residues (Ser159, Thr161, Ser162, Thr164, Thr166, and Thr172) of Stk1, which are also phosphorylated in vitro. We further showed that cis autophosphorylation of Thr172 in the GT/S motif is essential for self-activation and kinase activity of Stk1 kinase domain (Stk1-KD), whereas the trans autophosphorylation of other activation loop serines/threonines are required for the optimal kinase activity of Stk1-KD. Moreover, substitution of the activation loop serines/threonines impaired in vivo autophosphorylation activity of kinase variants, while T172A and T172D variants were unable to autophosphorylate in the cellular content, underlining the essential role of Thr172 for Stk1 activity in vivo. This study provides insights into molecular basis for regulation of Stk1 activity from S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihao Zheng
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaodan Cai
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuiming Li
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zigang Li
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
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31
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Mattapally S, Singh M, Murthy KS, Asthana S, Banerjee SK. Computational modeling suggests impaired interactions between NKX2.5 and GATA4 in individuals carrying a novel pathogenic D16N NKX2.5 mutation. Oncotarget 2018; 9:13713-13732. [PMID: 29568389 PMCID: PMC5862610 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
NKX2.5, a homeobox containing gene, plays an important role in embryonic heart development and associated mutations are linked with various cardiac abnormalities. We sequenced the NKX2.5 gene in 100 congenital heart disease (CHD) patients and 200 controls. Our analysis revealed a total of 7 mutations, 3 in intronic region, 3 in coding region and 1 in 3’ UTR. Of the above mutations, one mutation was found to be associated with tetralogy of fallot (TOF) and two (rs2277923 and a novel mutation, D16N) were strongly associated with VSD. A novel missense mutation, D16N (p-value =0.009744), located in the tinman (TN) region and associated with ventricular septal defect (VSD), is the most significant findings of this study. Computational analysis revealed that D16N mutation is pathogenic in nature. Through the molecular modeling, docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies, we have identified the location of mutant D16N in NKX2.5 and its interaction map with other partners at the atomic level. We found NKX2.5-GATA4 complex is stable, however, in case of mutant we observed significant conformational changes and loss of key polar interactions, which might be a cause of the pathogenic behavior. This study underscores the structural basis of D16N pathogenic mutation in the regulation of NKX2.5 and how this mutation renders the structural-functional divergence that possibly leading towards the diseased state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saidulu Mattapally
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | - Mrityunjay Singh
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | | | - Shailendra Asthana
- Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
| | - Sanjay K Banerjee
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India.,Drug Discovery Research Center (DDRC), Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana 121001, India
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32
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Schaenzer AJ, Wlodarchak N, Drewry DH, Zuercher WJ, Rose WE, Striker R, Sauer JD. A screen for kinase inhibitors identifies antimicrobial imidazopyridine aminofurazans as specific inhibitors of the Listeria monocytogenes PASTA kinase PrkA. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:17037-17045. [PMID: 28821610 PMCID: PMC5641865 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.808600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial signaling systems such as protein kinases and quorum sensing have become increasingly attractive targets for the development of novel antimicrobial agents in a time of rising antibiotic resistance. The family of bacterial Penicillin-binding-protein And Serine/Threonine kinase-Associated (PASTA) kinases is of particular interest due to the role of these kinases in regulating resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. As such, small-molecule kinase inhibitors that target PASTA kinases may prove beneficial as treatments adjunctive to β-lactam therapy. Despite this interest, only limited progress has been made in identifying functional inhibitors of the PASTA kinases that have both activity against the intact microbe and high kinase specificity. Here, we report the results of a small-molecule screen that identified GSK690693, an imidazopyridine aminofurazan-type kinase inhibitor that increases the sensitivity of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to various β-lactams by inhibiting the PASTA kinase PrkA. GSK690693 potently inhibited PrkA kinase activity biochemically and exhibited significant selectivity for PrkA relative to the Staphylococcus aureus PASTA kinase Stk1. Furthermore, other imidazopyridine aminofurazans could effectively inhibit PrkA and potentiate β-lactam antibiotic activity to varying degrees. The presence of the 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (alkynol) moiety was important for both biochemical and antimicrobial activity. Finally, mutagenesis studies demonstrated residues in the back pocket of the active site are important for GSK690693 selectivity. These data suggest that targeted screens can successfully identify PASTA kinase inhibitors with both biochemical and antimicrobial specificity. Moreover, the imidazopyridine aminofurazans represent a family of PASTA kinase inhibitors that have the potential to be optimized for selective PASTA kinase inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Schaenzer
- From the Departments of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and
- Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Nathan Wlodarchak
- From the Departments of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and
- Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - David H Drewry
- the Structural Genomics Consortium-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (SGC-UNC), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - William J Zuercher
- the Structural Genomics Consortium-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (SGC-UNC), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Warren E Rose
- Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
- the School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, and
| | - Rob Striker
- From the Departments of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and
- Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
- the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, W. S. Middleton Memorial Veteran's Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin 53705
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