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Butler MS, Vollmer W, Goodall ECA, Capon RJ, Henderson IR, Blaskovich MAT. A Review of Antibacterial Candidates with New Modes of Action. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 39018341 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
There is a lack of new antibiotics to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections that increasingly threaten global health. The current pipeline of clinical-stage antimicrobials is primarily populated by "new and improved" versions of existing antibiotic classes, supplemented by several novel chemical scaffolds that act on traditional targets. The lack of fresh chemotypes acting on previously unexploited targets (the "holy grail" for new antimicrobials due to their scarcity) is particularly unfortunate as these offer the greatest opportunity for innovative breakthroughs to overcome existing resistance. In recognition of their potential, this review focuses on this subset of high value antibiotics, providing chemical structures where available. This review focuses on candidates that have progressed to clinical trials, as well as selected examples of promising pioneering approaches in advanced stages of development, in order to stimulate additional research aimed at combating drug-resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Butler
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Emily C A Goodall
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Robert J Capon
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mark A T Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions and ARC Training Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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2
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Alamri MA, Prinsa, Kawsar SMA, Saha S. Exploring marine-derived bioactive compounds for dual inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxA and LpxD: integrated bioinformatics and cheminformatics approaches. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10888-8. [PMID: 38780832 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10888-8] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause serious nosocomial infections. Targeting the biosynthesis of Lipid A, a major structural domain of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in P. aeruginosa has emerged as a valuable strategy for developing novel therapeutic agents. The biosynthesis of Lipid A involves the activation of homolog enzymes including LpxA and LpxD. LpxA enzyme facilitates the transfer of R-3-hydroxydecanoic fatty acid to uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine in the first step. While LPxD is accountable in third step, wherein R-3-hydroxydodecanoate is transferred to the 2' amine of UDP-3-O-(3-hydroxydecanoyl) utilizing an ACP donor. The exploration of LpxA and LpxD has been largely neglected, as no specific small-molecule inhibitors have been identified, thus far, except for peptide inhibitors. Here, we report the identification of potential dual inhibitors of the lipid A biosynthesis pathway that target both the LpxA and LpxD enzymes as novel antibiotic agents. Among the virtually screened 32,000 marine bioactive compounds Oscillatoxin A, NCI60_041046, and LTS0192263 exhibited optimal docking interactions with LpxA and LpxD, respectively. MD simulation and MMPBSA data showcased stable interactions between selected marine products and LpxA/LpxD. FMO analysis showed that Oscillatoxin A and NCI60_041046 are the most chemically active molecules. MEP analysis data highlighted the possible electrophilic and nucleophilic distribution zones present in the structure. In addition, these bioactive molecules showed acceptable ADMET profiles. These data confirmed that Oscillatoxin A, NCI60_041046, and LTS0192263 could serve as seeds for the development of potential therapeutics to combat P. aeruginosa infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubarak A Alamri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, 11942, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Prinsa
- Siddhartha Institute of Pharmacy, Near IT-Park, Sahastradhara Road, Dehradun, 248001, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sarkar M A Kawsar
- Laboratory of Carbohydrate and Nucleoside Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Supriyo Saha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, 248001, Uttarakhand, India.
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3
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Boreak N, Alrajab EA, Nahari RA, Najmi LE, Masmali MA, Ghawi AA, Al Moaleem MM, Alhazmi MY, Maqbul AA. Unveiling Therapeutic Potential: Targeting Fusobacterium nucleatum's Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthesis for Endodontic Infections-An In Silico Screening Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4239. [PMID: 38673822 PMCID: PMC11049844 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084239] [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] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex microbial communities have been reported to be involved in endodontic infections. The microorganisms invade the dental pulp leading to pulpitis and initiating pulp inflammation. Fusobacterium nucleatum is a dominant bacterium implicated in both primary and secondary endodontic infections. Drugs targeting the molecular machinery of F. nucleatum will minimize pulp infection. LpxA and LpxD are early acyltransferases involved in the formation of lipid A, a major component of bacterial membranes. The identification of leads which exhibit preference towards successive enzymes in a single pathway can also prevent the development of bacterial resistance. A stringent screening strategy utilizing physicochemical and pharmacokinetic parameters along with a virtual screening approach identified two compounds, Lomefloxacin and Enoxacin, with good binding affinity towards the early acyltransferases LpxA and LpxD. Lomefloxacin and Enoxacin, members of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic class, exhibit wide-ranging activity against diverse bacterial strains. Nevertheless, their effectiveness in the context of endodontic treatment requires further investigation. This study explored the potential of Lomefloxacin and Enoxacin to manage endodontic infections via computational analysis. Moreover, the compounds identified herein serve as a foundation for devising novel combinatorial libraries with enhanced efficacy for endodontic therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nezar Boreak
- College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (E.A.A.); (R.A.N.); (L.E.N.); (M.A.M.); (A.A.G.); (M.M.A.M.); (M.Y.A.); (A.A.M.)
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4
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Klima M, Dejmek M, Duchoslav V, Eisenreichova A, Sala M, Chalupsky K, Chalupska D, Novotná B, Birkuš G, Nencka R, Boura E. Fluorinated cGAMP analogs, which act as STING agonists and are not cleavable by poxins: Structural basis of their function. Structure 2024; 32:433-439.e4. [PMID: 38325369 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.01.008] [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] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The cGAS-STING pathway is a crucial part of innate immunity; it serves to detect DNA in the cytoplasm and to defend against certain cancers, viruses, and bacteria. We designed and synthesized fluorinated carbocyclic cGAMP analogs, MD1203 and MD1202D (MDs), to enhance their stability and their affinity for STING. These compounds demonstrated exceptional activity against STING. Despite their distinct chemical modifications relative to the canonical cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs), crystallographic analysis revealed a binding mode with STING that was consistent with the canonical CDNs. Importantly, MDs were resistant to cleavage by viral poxin nucleases and MDs-bound poxin adopted an unliganded-like conformation. Moreover, MDs complexed with poxin showed a conformation distinct from cGAMP bound to poxin, closely resembling their conformation when bound to STING. In conclusion, the development of MD1203 and MD1202D showcases their potential as potent STING activators with remarkable stability against poxin-mediated degradation-a crucial characteristic for future development of antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Klima
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Dejmek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Duchoslav
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Eisenreichova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Sala
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Chalupsky
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Dominika Chalupska
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Novotná
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Gabriel Birkuš
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Nencka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Evzen Boura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2., 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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Möller AM, Vázquez-Hernández M, Kutscher B, Brysch R, Brückner S, Marino EC, Kleetz J, Senges CHR, Schäkermann S, Bandow JE, Narberhaus F. Common and varied molecular responses of Escherichia coli to five different inhibitors of the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic enzyme LpxC. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107143. [PMID: 38458396 PMCID: PMC10998244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107143] [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] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A promising yet clinically unexploited antibiotic target in difficult-to-treat Gram-negative bacteria is LpxC, the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharides, which are the major constituents of the outer membrane. Despite the development of dozens of chemically diverse LpxC inhibitor molecules, it is essentially unknown how bacteria counteract LpxC inhibition. Our study provides comprehensive insights into the response against five different LpxC inhibitors. All compounds bound to purified LpxC from Escherichia coli. Treatment of E. coli with these compounds changed the cell shape and stabilized LpxC suggesting that FtsH-mediated proteolysis of the inactivated enzyme is impaired. LpxC inhibition sensitized E. coli to vancomycin and rifampin, which poorly cross the outer membrane of intact cells. Four of the five compounds led to an accumulation of lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine, a cleavage product of phosphatidylethanolamine, generated by the phospholipase PldA. The combined results suggested an imbalance in lipopolysaccharides and phospholipid biosynthesis, which was corroborated by the global proteome response to treatment with the LpxC inhibitors. Apart from LpxC itself, FabA and FabB responsible for the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were consistently induced. Upregulated compound-specific proteins are involved in various functional categories, such as stress reactions, nucleotide, or amino acid metabolism and quorum sensing. Our work shows that antibiotics targeting the same enzyme do not necessarily elicit identical cellular responses. Moreover, we find that the response of E. coli to LpxC inhibition is distinct from the previously reported response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Maria Möller
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Blanka Kutscher
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Raffael Brysch
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Simon Brückner
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Emily C Marino
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julia Kleetz
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christoph H R Senges
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sina Schäkermann
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julia E Bandow
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Franz Narberhaus
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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Ostroumova OS, Efimova SS. Lipid-Centric Approaches in Combating Infectious Diseases: Antibacterials, Antifungals and Antivirals with Lipid-Associated Mechanisms of Action. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1716. [PMID: 38136750 PMCID: PMC10741038 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12121716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the global challenges of the 21st century is the increase in mortality from infectious diseases against the backdrop of the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic microorganisms. In this regard, it is worth targeting antibacterials towards the membranes of pathogens that are quite conservative and not amenable to elimination. This review is an attempt to critically analyze the possibilities of targeting antimicrobial agents towards enzymes involved in pathogen lipid biosynthesis or towards bacterial, fungal, and viral lipid membranes, to increase the permeability via pore formation and to modulate the membranes' properties in a manner that makes them incompatible with the pathogen's life cycle. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each approach in the search for highly effective but nontoxic antimicrobial agents. Examples of compounds with a proven molecular mechanism of action are presented, and the types of the most promising pharmacophores for further research and the improvement of the characteristics of antibiotics are discussed. The strategies that pathogens use for survival in terms of modulating the lipid composition and physical properties of the membrane, achieving a balance between resistance to antibiotics and the ability to facilitate all necessary transport and signaling processes, are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga S. Ostroumova
- Laboratory of Membrane and Ion Channel Modeling, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave. 4, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia;
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7
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Theuretzbacher U, Blasco B, Duffey M, Piddock LJV. Unrealized targets in the discovery of antibiotics for Gram-negative bacterial infections. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:957-975. [PMID: 37833553 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Advances in areas that include genomics, systems biology, protein structure determination and artificial intelligence provide new opportunities for target-based antibacterial drug discovery. The selection of a 'good' new target for direct-acting antibacterial compounds is the first decision, for which multiple criteria must be explored, integrated and re-evaluated as drug discovery programmes progress. Criteria include essentiality of the target for bacterial survival, its conservation across different strains of the same species, bacterial species and growth conditions (which determines the spectrum of activity of a potential antibiotic) and the level of homology with human genes (which influences the potential for selective inhibition). Additionally, a bacterial target should have the potential to bind to drug-like molecules, and its subcellular location will govern the need for inhibitors to penetrate one or two bacterial membranes, which is a key challenge in targeting Gram-negative bacteria. The risk of the emergence of target-based drug resistance for drugs with single targets also requires consideration. This Review describes promising but as-yet-unrealized targets for antibacterial drugs against Gram-negative bacteria and examples of cognate inhibitors, and highlights lessons learned from past drug discovery programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Blasco
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maëlle Duffey
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laura J V Piddock
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland.
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8
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Kadeřábková N, Mahmood AJS, Furniss RCD, Mavridou DAI. Making a chink in their armor: Current and next-generation antimicrobial strategies against the bacterial cell envelope. Adv Microb Physiol 2023; 83:221-307. [PMID: 37507160 PMCID: PMC10517717 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria are uniquely equipped to defeat antibiotics. Their outermost layer, the cell envelope, is a natural permeability barrier that contains an array of resistance proteins capable of neutralizing most existing antimicrobials. As a result, its presence creates a major obstacle for the treatment of resistant infections and for the development of new antibiotics. Despite this seemingly impenetrable armor, in-depth understanding of the cell envelope, including structural, functional and systems biology insights, has promoted efforts to target it that can ultimately lead to the generation of new antibacterial therapies. In this article, we broadly overview the biology of the cell envelope and highlight attempts and successes in generating inhibitors that impair its function or biogenesis. We argue that the very structure that has hampered antibiotic discovery for decades has untapped potential for the design of novel next-generation therapeutics against bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikol Kadeřábková
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Ayesha J S Mahmood
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - R Christopher D Furniss
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Despoina A I Mavridou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States; John Ring LaMontagne Center for Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
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9
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Romano K, Hung D. Targeting LPS biosynthesis and transport in gram-negative bacteria in the era of multi-drug resistance. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2023; 1870:119407. [PMID: 36543281 PMCID: PMC9922520 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria pose a major threat to human health in an era fraught with multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. Despite extensive drug discovery campaigns over the past decades, no new antibiotic target class effective against gram-negative bacteria has become available to patients since the advent of the carbapenems in 1985. Antibiotic discovery efforts against gram-negative bacteria have been hampered by limited intracellular accumulation of xenobiotics, in large part due to the impermeable cell envelope comprising lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane, as well as a panoply of efflux pumps. The biosynthesis and transport of LPS are essential to the viability and virulence of most gram-negative bacteria. Thus, both LPS biosynthesis and transport are attractive pathways to target therapeutically. In this review, we summarize the LPS biosynthesis and transport pathways and discuss efforts to find small molecule inhibitors against targets within these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.P. Romano
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D.T. Hung
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Corresponding author at: The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. (D.T. Hung)
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10
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Khan RJ, Singh E, Jha RK, Kumar A, Bhati SK, Zia MP, Jain M, Singh RP, Muthukumaran J, Singh AK. Identification and prioritization of potential therapeutic molecules against LpxA from Acinetobacter baumannii - A computational study. Curr Res Struct Biol 2023; 5:100096. [PMID: 36895415 PMCID: PMC9988473 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2023.100096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A. baumannii is a ubiquitously found gram-negative, multi-drug resistant bacterial species from the ESKAPE family of pathogens known to be the causative agent for hospital-acquired infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, septicaemia and urinary tract infections. A. baumannii is implicated as a contributor to bloodstream infections in approximately 2% of all worldwide infections. Hence, exploring novel therapeutic agents against the bacterium is essential. LpxA or UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acetyltransferase is an essential enzyme important in Lipid A biosynthesis which catalyses the reversible transfer of an acetyl group on the glucosamine 3-OH of the UDP-GlcNAc which is a crucial step in the biosynthesis of the protective Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) layer of the bacteria which upon disruption can lead to the elimination of the bacterium which delineates LpxA as an appreciable drug target from A. baumannii. The present study performs high throughput virtual screening of LpxA against the enamine-HTSC-large-molecule library and performs toxicity and ADME screening to identify the three promising lead molecules subjected to molecular dynamics simulations. Global and essential dynamics analysis of LpxA and its complexes along with FEL and MM/PBSA based binding free energy delineate Z367461724 and Z219244584 as potential inhibitors against LpxA from A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rameez Jabeer Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Ekampreet Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Rajat Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Ankit Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Bhati
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Mahrukh Parveez Zia
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Monika Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Rashmi Prabha Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, IILM College of Engineering & Technology, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Jayaraman Muthukumaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
| | - Amit Kumar Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P, India
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11
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Essential Paralogous Proteins as Potential Antibiotic Multitargets in Escherichia coli. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0204322. [PMID: 36445138 PMCID: PMC9769728 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02043-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance threatens our current standards of care for the treatment and prevention of infectious disease. Antibiotics that have multiple targets have a lower propensity for the development of antibiotic resistance than those that have single targets and therefore represent an important tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. In this work, groups of essential paralogous proteins were identified in the important Gram-negative pathogen Escherichia coli that could represent novel targets for multitargeting antibiotics. These groups include targets from a broad range of essential macromolecular and biosynthetic pathways, including cell wall synthesis, membrane biogenesis, transcription, translation, DNA replication, fatty acid biosynthesis, and riboflavin and isoprenoid biosynthesis. Importantly, three groups of clinically validated antibiotic multitargets were identified using this method: the two subunits of the essential topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, and one pair of penicillin-binding proteins. An additional eighteen protein groups represent potentially novel multitargets that could be explored in drug discovery efforts aimed at developing compounds having multiple targets in E. coli and other bacterial pathogens. IMPORTANCE Many types of bacteria have gained resistance to existing antibiotics used in medicine today. Therefore, new antibiotics with novel mechanisms must continue to be developed. One tool to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance is for a single drug to target multiple processes in a bacterium so that more than one change must arise for resistance to develop. The work described here provides a comprehensive search for proteins in the bacterium Escherichia coli that could be targets for such multitargeting antibiotics. Several groups of proteins that are already targets of clinically used antibiotics were identified, indicating that this approach can uncover clinically relevant antibiotic targets. In addition, eighteen currently unexploited groups of proteins were identified, representing new multitargets that could be explored in antibiotic research and development.
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Damale MG, Patil R, Ansari SA, Alkahtani HM, Ahmed S, Nur-e-Alam M, Arote R, Sangshetti J. Insilico structure based drug design approach to find potential hits in ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Comput Biol Med 2022; 146:105597. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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13
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Sacco MD, Defrees K, Zhang X, Lawless W, Nwanochie E, Balsizer A, Darch SE, Renslo AR, Chen Y. Structure-Based Ligand Design Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxA in Lipid A Biosynthesis. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1231-1240. [PMID: 35653508 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes involved in lipid A biosynthesis are promising antibacterial drug targets in Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we use a structure-based design approach to develop a series of novel tetrazole ligands with low μM affinity for LpxA, the first enzyme in the lipid A pathway. Aided by previous structural data, X-ray crystallography, and surface plasmon resonance bioanalysis, we identify 17 hit compounds. Two of these hits were subsequently modified to optimize interactions with three regions of the LpxA active site. This strategy ultimately led to the discovery of ligand L13, which had a KD of 3.0 μM. The results reveal new chemical scaffolds as potential LpxA inhibitors, important binding features for ligand optimization, and protein conformational changes in response to ligand binding. Specifically, they show that a tetrazole ring is well-accommodated in a small cleft formed between Met169, the "hydrophobic-ruler" and His156, both of which demonstrate significant conformational flexibility. Furthermore, we find that the acyl-chain binding pocket is the most tractable region of the active site for realizing affinity gains and, along with a neighboring patch of hydrophobic residues, preferentially binds aliphatic and aromatic groups. The results presented herein provide valuable chemical and structural information for future inhibitor discovery against this important antibacterial drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Sacco
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Kyle Defrees
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Xiujun Zhang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - William Lawless
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Emeka Nwanochie
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Amelia Balsizer
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Sophie E. Darch
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Adam R. Renslo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
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14
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Arif SM, Floto RA, Blundell TL. Using Structure-guided Fragment-Based Drug Discovery to Target Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:857000. [PMID: 35433835 PMCID: PMC9006449 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.857000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is progressive genetic disease that predisposes lungs and other organs to multiple long-lasting microbial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most prevalent and deadly pathogen among these microbes. Lung function of CF patients worsens following chronic infections with P. aeruginosa and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Emergence of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and pandrug-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa due to intrinsic and adaptive antibiotic resistance mechanisms has failed the current anti-pseudomonal antibiotics. Hence new antibacterials are urgently needed to treat P. aeruginosa infections. Structure-guided fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a powerful approach in the field of drug development that has succeeded in delivering six FDA approved drugs over the past 20 years targeting a variety of biological molecules. However, FBDD has not been widely used in the development of anti-pseudomonal molecules. In this review, we first give a brief overview of our structure-guided FBDD pipeline and then give a detailed account of FBDD campaigns to combat P. aeruginosa infections by developing small molecules having either bactericidal or anti-virulence properties. We conclude with a brief overview of the FBDD efforts in our lab at the University of Cambridge towards targeting P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R. Andres Floto
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine University of Cambridge, MRC-Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tom L. Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Tom L. Blundell,
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15
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Ijaq J, Chandra D, Ray MK, Jagannadham MV. Investigating the Functional Role of Hypothetical Proteins From an Antarctic Bacterium Pseudomonas sp. Lz4W: Emphasis on Identifying Proteins Involved in Cold Adaptation. Front Genet 2022; 13:825269. [PMID: 35360867 PMCID: PMC8963723 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.825269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploring the molecular mechanisms behind bacterial adaptation to extreme temperatures has potential biotechnological applications. In the present study, Pseudomonas sp. Lz4W, a Gram-negative psychrophilic bacterium adapted to survive in Antarctica, was selected to decipher the molecular mechanism underlying the cold adaptation. Proteome analysis of the isolates grown at 4°C was performed to identify the proteins and pathways that are responsible for the adaptation. However, many proteins from the expressed proteome were found to be hypothetical proteins (HPs), whose function is unknown. Investigating the functional roles of these proteins may provide additional information in the biological understanding of the bacterial cold adaptation. Thus, our study aimed to assign functions to these HPs and understand their role at the molecular level. We used a structured insilico workflow combining different bioinformatics tools and databases for functional annotation. Pseudomonas sp. Lz4W genome (CP017432, version 1) contains 4493 genes and 4412 coding sequences (CDS), of which 743 CDS were annotated as HPs. Of these, from the proteome analysis, 61 HPs were found to be expressed consistently at the protein level. The amino acid sequences of these 61 HPs were submitted to our workflow and we could successfully assign a function to 18 HPs. Most of these proteins were predicted to be involved in biological mechanisms of cold adaptations such as peptidoglycan metabolism, cell wall organization, ATP hydrolysis, outer membrane fluidity, catalysis, and others. This study provided a better understanding of the functional significance of HPs in cold adaptation of Pseudomonas sp. Lz4W. Our approach emphasizes the importance of addressing the “hypothetical protein problem” for a thorough understanding of mechanisms at the cellular level, as well as, provided the assessment of integrating proteomics methods with various annotation and curation approaches to characterize hypothetical or uncharacterized protein data. The MS proteomics data generated from this study has been deposited to the ProteomeXchange through PRIDE with the dataset identifier–PXD029741.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johny Ijaq
- Metabolomics Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Deepika Chandra
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Malay Kumar Ray
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - M. V. Jagannadham
- Metabolomics Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
- *Correspondence: M. V. Jagannadham,
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16
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Ryan MD, Parkes AL, Corbett D, Dickie AP, Southey M, Andersen OA, Stein DB, Barbeau OR, Sanzone A, Thommes P, Barker J, Cain R, Compper C, Dejob M, Dorali A, Etheridge D, Evans S, Faulkner A, Gadouleau E, Gorman T, Haase D, Holbrow-Wilshaw M, Krulle T, Li X, Lumley C, Mertins B, Napier S, Odedra R, Papadopoulos K, Roumpelakis V, Spear K, Trimby E, Williams J, Zahn M, Keefe AD, Zhang Y, Soutter HT, Centrella PA, Clark MA, Cuozzo JW, Dumelin CE, Deng B, Hunt A, Sigel EA, Troast DM, DeJonge BLM. Discovery of Novel UDP- N-Acetylglucosamine Acyltransferase (LpxA) Inhibitors with Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Med Chem 2021; 64:14377-14425. [PMID: 34569791 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study describes a novel series of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase (LpxA) inhibitors that was identified through affinity-mediated selection from a DNA-encoded compound library. The original hit was a selective inhibitor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxA with no activity against Escherichia coli LpxA. The biochemical potency of the series was optimized through an X-ray crystallography-supported medicinal chemistry program, resulting in compounds with nanomolar activity against P. aeruginosa LpxA (best half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) <5 nM) and cellular activity against P. aeruginosa (best minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 μg/mL). Lack of activity against E. coli was maintained (IC50 > 20 μM and MIC > 128 μg/mL). The mode of action of analogues was confirmed through genetic analyses. As expected, compounds were active against multidrug-resistant isolates. Further optimization of pharmacokinetics is needed before efficacy studies in mouse infection models can be attempted. To our knowledge, this is the first reported LpxA inhibitor series with selective activity against P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dominic Ryan
- X-Biotix Therapeutics, 465 Waverly Oaks Road, Waltham, Massachusetts 02452, United States
| | - Alastair L Parkes
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - David Corbett
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - Anthony P Dickie
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Michelle Southey
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Ole A Andersen
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Daniel B Stein
- Evotec SE, Manfred Eigen Campus, Essener Bogen 7, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olivier R Barbeau
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Angelo Sanzone
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Pia Thommes
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - John Barker
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Ricky Cain
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Christel Compper
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Magali Dejob
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Alain Dorali
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - Donnya Etheridge
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Sian Evans
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Adele Faulkner
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Elise Gadouleau
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Timothy Gorman
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Denes Haase
- Evotec SE, Manfred Eigen Campus, Essener Bogen 7, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Krulle
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Xianfu Li
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Christopher Lumley
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Barbara Mertins
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Spencer Napier
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Rajesh Odedra
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - Kostas Papadopoulos
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | | | - Kate Spear
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Emily Trimby
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - Jennifer Williams
- Evotec UK, Anti-infectives, Block 23F, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4TG, U.K
| | - Michael Zahn
- Evotec, 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, U.K
| | - Anthony D Keefe
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Ying Zhang
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Holly T Soutter
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Paolo A Centrella
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Matthew A Clark
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - John W Cuozzo
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | | | - Boer Deng
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Avery Hunt
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Eric A Sigel
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Dawn M Troast
- X-Chem, 100 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Boudewijn L M DeJonge
- X-Biotix Therapeutics, 465 Waverly Oaks Road, Waltham, Massachusetts 02452, United States
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17
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Zhou P, Hong J. Structure- and Ligand-Dynamics-Based Design of Novel Antibiotics Targeting Lipid A Enzymes LpxC and LpxH in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:1623-1634. [PMID: 33720682 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial infections caused by multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens pose a serious threat to public health. Gram-negative bacteria are characterized by the enrichment of lipid A-anchored lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipooligosaccharide (LOS) in the outer leaflet of their outer membrane. Constitutive biosynthesis of lipid A via the Raetz pathway is essential for bacterial viability and fitness in the human host. The inhibition of early-stage lipid A enzymes such as LpxC not only suppresses the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., and other clinically important Gram-negative pathogens but also sensitizes these bacteria to other antibiotics. The inhibition of late-stage lipid A enzymes such as LpxH is uniquely advantageous because it has an extra mechanism of bacterial killing through the accumulation of toxic lipid A intermediates, rendering LpxH inhibition additionally lethal to Acinetobacter baumannii. Because essential enzymes of the Raetz pathway have never been exploited by commercial antibiotics, they are excellent targets for the development of novel antibiotics against multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative infections.This Account describes the ongoing research on characterizing the structure and inhibition of LpxC and LpxH, the second and fourth enzymes of the Raetz pathway of lipid A biosynthesis, in the laboratories of Dr. Pei Zhou and Dr. Jiyong Hong at Duke University. Our studies have elucidated the molecular basis of LpxC inhibition by the first broad-spectrum inhibitor, CHIR-090, as well as the mechanism underlying its spectrum of activity. Such an analysis has provided a molecular explanation for the broad-spectrum antibiotic activity of diacetylene-based LpxC inhibitors. Through the structural and biochemical investigation of LpxC inhibition by diacetylene LpxC inhibitors and the first nanomolar LpxC inhibitor, L-161,240, we have elucidated the intrinsic conformational and dynamics difference in individual LpxC enzymes near the active site. A similar approach has been taken to investigate LpxH inhibition, leading to the establishment of the pharmacophore model of LpxH inhibitors and subsequent structural elucidation of LpxH in complex with its first reported small-molecule inhibitor based on a sulfonyl piperazine scaffold.Intriguingly, although our crystallographic analysis of LpxC- and LpxH-inhibitor complexes detected only a single inhibitor conformation in the crystal lattice, solution NMR studies revealed the existence of multiple ligand conformations that together delineate a cryptic ligand envelope expanding the ligand-binding footprint beyond that observed in the crystal structure. By harnessing the ligand dynamics information and structural insights, we demonstrate the feasibility to design potent LpxC and LpxH inhibitors by merging multiple ligand conformations. Such an approach has enabled us to rationally design compounds with significantly enhanced potency in enzymatic assays and outstanding antibiotic activities in vitro and in animal models of bacterial infection. We anticipate that continued efforts with structure and ligand dynamics-based lead optimization will ultimately lead to the discovery of LpxC- and LpxH-targeting clinical antibiotics against a broad range of Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jiyong Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
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18
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Troudi A, Pagès JM, Brunel JM. Chemical Highlights Supporting the Role of Lipid A in Efficient Biological Adaptation of Gram-Negative Bacteria to External Stresses. J Med Chem 2021; 64:1816-1834. [PMID: 33538159 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria provides an efficient barrier against external noxious compounds such as antimicrobial agents. Associated with drug target modification, it contributes to the overall failure of chemotherapy. In the complex OM architecture, Lipid A plays an essential role by anchoring the lipopolysaccharide in the membrane and ensuring the spatial organization between lipids, proteins, and sugars. Currently, the targets of almost all antibiotics are intracellularly located and require translocation across membranes. We report herein an integrated view of Lipid A synthesis, membrane assembly, a structure comparison at the molecular structure level of numerous Gram-negative bacterial species, as well as its recent use as a target for original antibacterial molecules. This review paves the way for a new vision of a key membrane component that acts during bacterial adaptation to environmental stresses and for the development of new weapons against microbial resistance to usual antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza Troudi
- UMR-MD1, U1261, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, SSA, MCT, 13385 Marseille, France.,Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1008, Tunisia
| | - Jean Marie Pagès
- UMR-MD1, U1261, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, SSA, MCT, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Jean Michel Brunel
- UMR-MD1, U1261, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, SSA, MCT, 13385 Marseille, France
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19
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Damale MG, Pathan SK, Patil RB, Sangshetti JN. Pharmacoinformatics approaches to identify potential hits against tetraacyldisaccharide 4'-kinase (LpxK) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. RSC Adv 2020; 10:32856-32874. [PMID: 35516480 PMCID: PMC9056689 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra06675c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infection and the management of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is critical in multidrug resistance, hospital-acquired bacteremia and ventilator-associated pneumonia. The key enzymes of lipid A biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are promising drug targets. However, the enzyme tetraacyldisaccharide 4'-kinase (LpxK) has not been explored as a drug target so far. Several pharmacoinformatics tools such as comparative metabolic pathway analysis (Metacyc), data mining from a database of essential genes (DEG), homology modeling, molecular docking, pharmacophore based virtual screening, ADMET prediction and molecular dynamics simulation were used in identifying novel lead compounds against this target. The top virtual hits STOCK6S-33288, 43621, 39892, 37164 and 35740 may serve as the templates for the design and synthesis of potent LpxK inhibitors in the management of serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj G Damale
- Y.B. Chavan College of Pharmacy Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Rauza Baugh Aurangabad MS 431001 India
- Srinath College of Pharmacy Aurangabad MS India
| | - Shahebaaz K Pathan
- Y.B. Chavan College of Pharmacy Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Rauza Baugh Aurangabad MS 431001 India
| | - Rajesh B Patil
- Sinhgad Technical Education Society's, Smt. Kashibai Navale College of Pharmacy Pune-Saswad Road, Kondhwa (Bk) Pune 411048 India
| | - Jaiprakash N Sangshetti
- Y.B. Chavan College of Pharmacy Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Rauza Baugh Aurangabad MS 431001 India
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20
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Han W, Ma X, Balibar CJ, Baxter Rath CM, Benton B, Bermingham A, Casey F, Chie-Leon B, Cho MK, Frank AO, Frommlet A, Ho CM, Lee PS, Li M, Lingel A, Ma S, Merritt H, Ornelas E, De Pascale G, Prathapam R, Prosen KR, Rasper D, Ruzin A, Sawyer WS, Shaul J, Shen X, Shia S, Steffek M, Subramanian S, Vo J, Wang F, Wartchow C, Uehara T. Two Distinct Mechanisms of Inhibition of LpxA Acyltransferase Essential for Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthesis. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:4445-4455. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b13530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wooseok Han
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Xiaolei Ma
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Carl J. Balibar
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | | | - Bret Benton
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Alun Bermingham
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Fergal Casey
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Barbara Chie-Leon
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Min-Kyu Cho
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Andreas O. Frank
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Alexandra Frommlet
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Chi-Min Ho
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Patrick S. Lee
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Min Li
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Andreas Lingel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Sylvia Ma
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Hanne Merritt
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Elizabeth Ornelas
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Gianfranco De Pascale
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Ramadevi Prathapam
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Katherine R. Prosen
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Dita Rasper
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Alexey Ruzin
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - William S. Sawyer
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Jacob Shaul
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Shen
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Steven Shia
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Micah Steffek
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Sharadha Subramanian
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Jason Vo
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Feng Wang
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Charles Wartchow
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Tsuyoshi Uehara
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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21
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Kirsch P, Hartman AM, Hirsch AKH, Empting M. Concepts and Core Principles of Fragment-Based Drug Design. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24234309. [PMID: 31779114 PMCID: PMC6930586 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24234309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, a general introduction to fragment-based drug design and the underlying concepts is given. General considerations and methodologies ranging from library selection/construction over biophysical screening and evaluation methods to in-depth hit qualification and subsequent optimization strategies are discussed. These principles can be generally applied to most classes of drug targets. The examples given for fragment growing, merging, and linking strategies at the end of the review are set in the fields of enzyme-inhibitor design and macromolecule–macromolecule interaction inhibition. Building upon the foundation of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) and its methodologies, we also highlight a few new trends in FBDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Kirsch
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)-Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; (P.K.); (A.M.H.); (A.K.H.H.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Alwin M. Hartman
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)-Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; (P.K.); (A.M.H.); (A.K.H.H.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna K. H. Hirsch
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)-Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; (P.K.); (A.M.H.); (A.K.H.H.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Empting
- Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)-Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; (P.K.); (A.M.H.); (A.K.H.H.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-681-988-062-031
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