High-throughput screening identifies novel inhibitors of the acetyltransferase activity of Escherichia coli GlmU

Insights into the central role of N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) in peptidoglycan metabolism and its potential as a therapeutic target

Several decades after the discovery of the first antibiotic (penicillin) microbes have evolved novel mechanisms of resistance; endangering not only our abilities to combat future bacterial pandemics but many other clinical challenges such as acquired infections during surgeries. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is attributed to the mismanagement and overuse of these medications and is complicated by a slower rate of the discovery of novel drugs and targets. Bacterial peptidoglycan (PG), a three-dimensional mesh of glycan units, is the foundation of the cell wall that protects bacteria against environmental insults. A significant percentage of drugs target PG, however, these have been rendered ineffective due to growing drug resistance. Identifying novel druggable targets is, therefore, imperative. Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) is one of the key building blocks in PG production, biosynthesized by the bifunctional enzyme N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU). UDP-GlcNAc metabolism has been studied in many organisms, but it holds some distinctive features in bacteria, especially regarding the bacterial GlmU enzyme. In this review, we provide an overview of different steps in PG biogenesis, discuss the biochemistry of GlmU, and summarize the characteristic structural elements of bacterial GlmU vital to its catalytic function. Finally, we will discuss various studies on the development of GlmU inhibitors and their significance in aiding future drug discoveries.

High-Throughput Screening of Natural Product and Synthetic Molecule Libraries for Antibacterial Drug Discovery

Due to the continued emergence of resistance and a lack of new and promising antibiotics, bacterial infection has become a major public threat. High-throughput screening (HTS) allows rapid screening of a large collection of molecules for bioactivity testing and holds promise in antibacterial drug discovery. More than 50% of the antibiotics that are currently available on the market are derived from natural products. However, with the easily discoverable antibiotics being found, finding new antibiotics from natural sources has seen limited success. Finding new natural sources for antibacterial activity testing has also proven to be challenging. In addition to exploring new sources of natural products and synthetic biology, omics technology helped to study the biosynthetic machinery of existing natural sources enabling the construction of unnatural synthesizers of bioactive molecules and the identification of molecular targets of antibacterial agents. On the other hand, newer and smarter strategies have been continuously pursued to screen synthetic molecule libraries for new antibiotics and new druggable targets. Biomimetic conditions are explored to mimic the real infection model to better study the ligand-target interaction to enable the designing of more effective antibacterial drugs. This narrative review describes various traditional and contemporaneous approaches of high-throughput screening of natural products and synthetic molecule libraries for antibacterial drug discovery. It further discusses critical factors for HTS assay design, makes a general recommendation, and discusses possible alternatives to traditional HTS of natural products and synthetic molecule libraries for antibacterial drug discovery.

An update on the review of microbial synthesis of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine

Glucosamine (GlcN) is a natural amino monosaccharide in which a hydroxyl group of glucose is substituted by an amino group. It belongs to functional amino sugar compounds. In the traditional preparation process, GlcN and GlcNAc are obtained by hydrolyzing the cell wall of shrimp and crab. There are many potential problems with this method, such as geographical and seasonal restrictions on the supply of raw materials, serious environmental pollution and potential allergic reactions. Microbial fermentation has the advantages of mild conditions, low environmental pollution, high production intensity, and product safety. It can effectively solve the problem of shrimp and crab hydrolysis process, attracting many researchers to participate in the research of microbial fermentation production of GlcN. This paper mainly summarizes the research on strain construction method, metabolic pathway design and fermentation condition optimization in microbial fermentation, which has certain guiding significance for the further production, research and production of glucosamine.

Boswellic acids, as novel inhibitor targeting peptidoglycan biosynthetic enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase (MurA) in Escherichia coli

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase (MurA) is an essential cytosolic enzyme in the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. It becomes a potential bacterial target for screening promising antibacterial compounds as it is associated with the early phases of peptidoglycan production. MurA enzyme is conserved and necessary for bacterial viability with no mammalian homolog, which is a well-proven therapeutic research target. The present study reports the natural compounds from Boswellia serrata targeting the MurA enzyme. The identified inhibitors against MurA Escherichia coli (E. coli): β-boswellic acid (IC₅₀ 33.65 µM), Acetyl-β-boswellic acid (IC₅₀ 30.17 µM), and Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (IC₅₀ 37.67 µM). Inhibitors showed a fourfold decrease in IC₅₀ values on pre-incubation with substrate-UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). Mode-of-inhibition studies revealed their uncompetitive nature with both the substrates. Although these boswellic acids have been explored for their pharmacological potential, this is the first study reporting these compounds' E. coli MurA inhibiting potential.

Screening of compound library identifies novel inhibitors against the MurA enzyme of Escherichia coli

Bacterial cell has always been an attractive target for anti-infective drug discovery. MurA (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase) enzyme of Escherichia coli (E.coli) is crucial for peptidoglycan biosynthetic pathway, as it is involved in the early stages of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. In the present study we aim to identify novel chemical structures targeting the MurA enzyme. For screening purpose, we used in silico approach (pharmacophore based strategy) for 52,026 library compounds (Chembridge, Chemdiv and in house synthetics) which resulted in identification of 50 compounds. These compounds were screened in vitro against MurA enzyme and release of inorganic phosphate (Pi) was estimated. Two compounds (IN00152 and IN00156) were found to inhibit MurA enzyme > 70% in primary screening and IC₅₀ of 14.03 to 32.30 μM respectively. These two hits were further evaluated for their mode of inhibition studies and whole-cell activity where we observed 2-4 folds increase in activity in presence of Permeabilizer EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). Combination studies were also performed with known antibiotics in presence of EDTA. Hits are reported for the first time against this target and our report also support the use of OM permeabilizer in combination with antibacterial compounds to address the permeability and efficacy issue. These lead hits can be further optimized for drug discovery. KEY POINTS: • Emerging Gram negative resistant strains is a matter of concern. • Need for new screening strategies to cope with drying up antibiotics pipeline. • Outer membrane permeabilizers could be useful to improve potency of molecules to reach its target.

Enhancement of Production of D-Glucosamine in Escherichia coli by Blocking Three Pathways Involved in the Consumption of GlcN and GlcNAc

D-Glucosamine is a commonly used dietary supplement that promotes cartilage health in humans. Metabolic flux analysis showed that D-glucosamine production could be increased by blocking three pathways involved in the consumption of glucosamine-6-phosphate and acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate. By homologous single-exchange, two key genes (nanE and murQ) of Escherichia coli BL21 were knocked out, respectively. The D-glucosamine yields of the engineered strains E. coli BL21ΔmurQ and E. coli BL21ΔnanE represented increases by factors of 2.14 and 1.79, respectively. Meanwhile, for bifunctional gene glmU, we only knocked out its glucosamine-1-phosphate acetyltransferase domain by 3D structural analysis to keep the engineered strain E. coli BL21glmU-Δgpa survival, which resulted in an increase in the production of D-glucosamine by a factor of 2.16. Moreover, for further increasing D-glucosamine production, two genes encoding rate-limiting enzymes, named glmS and gna1, were coexpressed by an RBS sequence in those engineered strains. The total concentrations of D-glucosamine in E. coli BL21 glmU-Δgpa', E. coli BL21ΔmurQ', and E. coli BL21ΔnanE' were 2.65 g/L, 1.73 g/L, and 1.38 g/L, which represented increases by factors of 8.83, 5.76, and 3.3, respectively.

Enhanced O-linked Glcnacylation in Crohn's disease promotes intestinal inflammation

Background

Treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) remains to be a challenge due to limited insights for its pathogenesis. We aimed to determine the role of O-Linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) in the development of CD and evaluate therapeutic effects of O-GlcNAc inhibitors on CD.

Methods

O-GlcNAc in intestinal epithelial tissues of CD, adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) LF82-infected cells and mice was determined by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. AIEC LF82 and dextran sulfate sodium were administrated into C57BL/6 mice for estabolishing inflammatory bowel disease model and for therapeutic study.

Findings

O-GlcNAc was increased in intestinal epithelial tissues of CD patients and AIEC LF82-infected mice. Infection of AIEC LF82 up-regulated the level of UDP-GlcNAc and increased O-GlcNAc in human colon epithelial HCT116 and HT-29 cells. We identified that IKKβ and NF-κB were O-Glycosylated in AIEC LF82-treated cells. Mutations of IKKβ (S733A) and p65 (T352A) abrogated the O-GlcNAc in IKKβ and NF-κB and inhibited AIEC LF82-induced activation of NF-κB. Application of 6-diazO-5-oxO-L-norleucine, an agent that blocks the production of UDP-GlcNAc and inhibits O-GlcNAc, inactivated NF-κB in AIEC LF82-infected cells, enhanced the formation of autophagy, promoted the removal of cell-associated AIEC LF82, alleviated intestinal epithelial inflammation, and improved the survival of the colitis mice.

Interpretation

Intestinal inflammation in CD is associated with increased O-GlcNAc modification, which is required for NF-κB activation and suppression of autophagy. Targeting O-GlcNAc could be an effective therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81573087 and 81772924) and International Cooperation Foundation of Jilin Province (20190701006GH).

Full Sequence Amino Acid Scanning of θ-Defensin RTD-1 Yields a Potent Anthrax Lethal Factor Protease Inhibitor

θ-Defensin RTD-1 is a noncompetitive inhibitor of anthrax lethal factor (LF) protease (IC₅₀ = 390 ± 20 nM, K_i = 365 ± 20 nM) and a weak inhibitor of other mammalian metalloproteases such as TNFα converting enzyme (TACE) (K_i = 4.45 ± 0.48 μM). Using full sequence amino acid scanning in combination with a highly efficient "one-pot" cyclization-folding approach, we obtained an RTD-1-based peptide that was around 10 times more active than wild-type RTD-1 in inhibiting LF protease (IC₅₀ = 43 ± 3 nM, K_i = 18 ± 1 nM). The most active peptide was completely symmetrical, rich in Arg and Trp residues, and able to adopt a native RTD-1-like structure. These results show the power of optimized chemical peptide synthesis approaches for the efficient production of libraries of disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized peptides to quickly perform structure-activity relationship studies for optimizing protease inhibitors.

Computationally Guided Identification of Novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis GlmU Inhibitory Leads, Their Optimization, and in Vitro Validation

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections are causing serious health concerns worldwide. Antituberculosis drug resistance threatens the current therapies and causes further need to develop effective antituberculosis therapy. GlmU represents an interesting target for developing novel Mtb drug candidates. It is a bifunctional acetyltransferase/uridyltransferase enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) from glucosamine-1-phosphate (GlcN-1-P). UDP-GlcNAc is a substrate for the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan that are constituents of the bacterial cell wall. In the current study, structure and ligand based computational models were developed and rationally applied to screen a drug-like compound repository of 20,000 compounds procured from ChemBridge DIVERSet database for the identification of probable inhibitors of Mtb GlmU. The in vitro evaluation of the in silico identified inhibitor candidates resulted in the identification of 15 inhibitory leads of this target. Literature search of these leads through SciFinder and their similarity analysis with the PubChem training data set (AID 1376) revealed the structural novelty of these hits with respect to Mtb GlmU. IC50 of the most potent identified inhibitory lead (5810599) was found to be 9.018 ± 0.04 μM. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of this inhibitory lead (5810599) in complex with protein affirms the stability of the lead within the binding pocket and also emphasizes on the key interactive residues for further designing. Binding site analysis of the acetyltransferase pocket with respect to the identified structural moieties provides a thorough analysis for carrying out the lead optimization studies.

A 96-well microtiter plate assay for high-throughput screening of Mycobacterium tuberculosis dTDP-d-glucose 4,6-dehydratase inhibitors

Mycobacterium tuberculosis dTDP-d-glucose 4,6-dehydratase (RmlB) is the second enzyme for the biosynthesis of dTDP-l-rhamnose, which is a sugar donor to the synthesis of the cell wall linker, d-N-acetylglucosamine-l-rhamnose. RmlB is essential to mycobacterial growth and is not found in humans; therefore, it is a potential target for developing new anti-tuberculosis drugs. So far, there has been no suitable method for high-throughput screening of RmlB inhibitors. Here, the recombinant M. tuberculosis RmlB was purified and an absorbance-based microtiter plate assay was developed for RmlB activity. It could be used for high-throughput screening of RmlB inhibitors. The kinetic properties of M. tuberculosis RmlB, including optimal pH, optimal temperature, the effect of metal ions, and the kinetic parameters, were determined with this assay. The inhibitory effects of dTTP and dTDP on M. tuberculosis RmlB were also studied with the assay.

Escherichia coli N-Acetylglucosamine-1-Phosphate-Uridyltransferase/Glucosamine-1-Phosphate-Acetyltransferase (GlmU) Inhibitory Activity of Terreic Acid Isolated from Aspergillus terreus

Secondary metabolite of Aspergillus terreus, terreic acid, is a reported potent antibacterial that was identified more than 60 years ago, but its cellular target(s) are still unknown. Here we screen its activity against the acetyltransferase domain of a bifunctional enzyme, Escherichia coli N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate-uridyltransferase/glucosamine-1-phosphate-acetyltransferase (GlmU). An absorbance-based assay was used to screen terreic acid against the acetyltransferase activity of E. coli GlmU. Terreic acid was found to inhibit the acetyltransferase domain of E. coli GlmU with an IC50 of 44.24 ± 1.85 µM. Mode of inhibition studies revealed that terreic acid was competitive with AcCoA and uncompetitive with GlcN-1-P. It also exhibited concentration-dependent killing of E. coli ATCC 25922 up to 4× minimum inhibitory concentration and inhibited the growth of biofilms generated by E. coli. Characterization of resistant mutants established mutation in the acetyltransferase domain of GlmU. Terreic acid was also found to be metabolically stable in the in vitro incubations with rat liver microsome in the presence of a NADPH regenerating system. The studies reported here suggest that terreic acid is a potent antimicrobial agent and support that E. coli GlmU acetyltransferase is a molecular target of terreic acid, resulting in its antibacterial activity.

Identification and characterization of novel small molecule inhibitors of the acetyltransferase activity of Escherichia coli N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate-uridyltransferase/glucosamine-1-phosphate-acetyltransferase (GlmU)

This study aims at identifying novel chemical scaffolds as inhibitors specific to the acetyltransferase domain of a bifunctional enzyme, Escherichia coli GlmU, involved in the cell wall biosynthesis of Gram-negative organisms. A two-pronged approach was used to screen a 50,000 small-molecule library. Using the first approach, the library was in silico screened by docking the library against acetyltransferase domain of E. coli GlmU studies. In the second approach, complete library was screened against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 to identify the whole cell active compounds. Active compounds from both the screens were screened in a colorimetric absorbance-based assay to identify inhibitors of acetyltransferase domain of E. coli GlmU which resulted in the identification of 1 inhibitor out of 56 hits identified by in silico screening and 4 inhibitors out of 35 whole cell active compounds on Gram-negative bacteria with the most potent inhibitor showing IC50 of 1.40 ± 0.69 μM. Mode of inhibition studies revealed these inhibitors to be competitive with AcCoA and uncompetitive with GlcN-1-P. These selected inhibitors were also tested for their antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Compounds 5175178 and 5215319 exhibited antibacterial activity that co-related with GlmU inhibition. These compounds, therefore, represent novel chemical scaffolds targeting acetyltransferase activity of E. coli GlmU.

Depletion of M. tuberculosis GlmU from Infected Murine Lungs Effects the Clearance of the Pathogen

M. tuberculosis N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU_Mtb) is a bi-functional enzyme engaged in the synthesis of two metabolic intermediates N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate (GlcNAc-1-P) and UDP-GlcNAc, catalyzed by the C- and N-terminal domains respectively. UDP-GlcNAc is a key metabolite essential for the synthesis of peptidoglycan, disaccharide linker, arabinogalactan and mycothiols. While glmU_Mtb was predicted to be an essential gene, till date the role of GlmU_Mtb in modulating the in vitro growth of Mtb or its role in survival of pathogen ex vivo / in vivo have not been deciphered. Here we present the results of a comprehensive study dissecting the role of GlmU_Mtb in arbitrating the survival of the pathogen both in vitro and in vivo. We find that absence of GlmU_Mtb leads to extensive perturbation of bacterial morphology and substantial reduction in cell wall thickness under normoxic as well as hypoxic conditions. Complementation studies show that the acetyl- and uridyl- transferase activities of GlmU_Mtb are independently essential for bacterial survival in vitro, and GlmU_Mtb is also found to be essential for mycobacterial survival in THP-1 cells as well as in guinea pigs. Depletion of GlmU_Mtb from infected murine lungs, four weeks post infection, led to significant reduction in the bacillary load. The administration of Oxa33, a novel oxazolidine derivative that specifically inhibits GlmU_Mtb, to infected mice resulted in significant decrease in the bacillary load. Thus our study establishes GlmU_Mtb as a strong candidate for intervention measures against established tuberculosis infections.

The synthesis of the Mtb cell wall involves a cascade of reactions catalyzed by cytosolic and cell membrane-bound enzymes. The reaction catalyzed by GlmU_Mtb (an enzyme with acetyltransferase and uridyltransferase activities) generates UDP-GlcNAc, a central nucleotide-sugar building block of the cell wall. Apart from cell wall synthesis UDP-GlcNAc is an essential metabolite participating in other cellular processes including disaccharide linker and mycothiol biosynthesis. GlmU_Mtb shares very little sequence similarity with eukaryotic acetyltransferase and uridyltransferase enzymes. Many pathogens have alternative pathway(s) for foraging GlcNAc from the host. The present study was undertaken to see the effects of depleting GlmU_Mtb on pathogen survival in the host animal. We have generated a conditional gene replacement mutant of glmU_Mtb and find that depletion of GlmU_Mtb at any stage of bacterial growth or in mice infected with Mtb including a well-established infection, results in irreversible bacterial death due to perturbation of cell wall synthesis. We have developed a novel anti-GlmU_Mtb inhibitor (Oxa33), identified its binding site on GlmU_Mtb, and shown its specificity for GlmU_Mtb. The study demonstrates that GlmU_Mtb is a promising target for therapeutic intervention and Oxa33 can be pursued as a lead molecule.

Discovery of novel small molecule modulators of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) is a Gram-positive seed-transmitted bacterial phytopathogen responsible for substantial economic losses by adversely affecting tomato production worldwide. A high-throughput, cell-based screen was adapted to identify novel small molecule growth inhibitors to serve as leads for future bactericide development. A library of 4,182 compounds known to be bioactive against Saccharomyces cerevisiae was selected for primary screening against Cmm wild-type strain C290 for whole-cell growth inhibition. Four hundred sixty-eight molecules (11.2% hit rate) were identified as bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic against Cmm at 200 μM. Seventy-seven candidates were selected based on Golden Triangle analyses for secondary screening. Secondary screens showed that several of these candidates were strain-selective. Several compounds were inhibitory to multiple Cmm strains as well as Bacillus subtilis, but not to Pseudomonas fluorescens, Mitsuaria sp., Lysobacter enzymogenes, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium animalis, or Escherichia coli. Most of the compounds were not phytotoxic and did not show overt host toxicity. Using a novel 96-well bioluminescent Cmm seedling infection assay, we assessed effects of selected compounds on pathogen infection. The 12 most potent novel molecules were identified by compiling the scores from all secondary screens combined with the reduction of pathogen infection in planta. When tested for ability to develop resistance to the top-12 compounds, no resistant Cmm were recovered, suggesting that the discovered compounds are unlikely to induce resistance. In conclusion, here we report top-12 compounds that provide chemical scaffolds for future Cmm-specific bactericide development.

High-throughput screen identifies small molecule inhibitors targeting acetyltransferase activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis GlmU

N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) is a pivotal bifunctional enzyme, its N and C terminal domains catalyzes uridyltransferase and acetyltransferase activities, respectively. Final product of GlmU catalyzed reaction, uridine-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), acts as sugar donor providing GlcNAc residues in the synthesis of peptidoglycan and a disaccharide linker (D-N-GlcNAc-1-rhamnose), the key structural components of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) cell wall. In the present study, we have searched new inhibitors against acetyltransferase activity of M. tuberculosis GlmU. A subset of 1607 synthetic compounds, selected through dual approach i.e., in-silico and whole cell screen against 20,000 compounds from ChemBridge library, was further screened using an in-vitro high throughput bioassay to identify inhibitors of acetyltransferase domain of M. tuberculosis GlmU. Four compounds were found to inhibit GlmU enzyme specific to acetyltransferase activity, with IC50 values ranging from 9 to 70 μM. Two compounds (6624116, 5655606) also exhibited whole cell activity against drug susceptible as well as drug resistant M. tuberculosis. These two compounds also exhibited increased anti-TB activity when tested in combination with rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol, however 5655606 was cytotoxic to eukaryotic cell line. These results demonstrate that identified chemical scaffolds can be used as inhibitors of M. tuberculosis cell wall enzyme after optimizations for future anti-TB drug development program.

Novel lead compound optimization and synthesized based on the target structure of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae GlmU

Bacterial leaf blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice worldwide. N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) was an attractive target for the development of antimicrobial agents. To develop novel, more potent and even more selective inhibitors of the uridyltransferase activity of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae GlmU (Xo-GlmU), three types of novel target compounds were optimized and synthesized based on the Xo-GlmU structure in this study. The biological testing results showed that all of the target compounds displayed the higher inhibition than the lead compound with the IC50 values in the 10.82-23.31 µM range, and the inhibition rates were increased by 30%-67%. The binding mode and the possible inhibitory mechanism of the target compounds in the active site were also analyzed by the molecular docking based on the uridyltransferase active site of Xo-GlmU.

Structural and functional features of enzymes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis peptidoglycan biosynthesis as targets for drug development

Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading cause of human mortality from infectious diseases worldwide. The WHO reported 1.3 million deaths and 8.6 million new cases of TB in 2012. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), the infectious bacteria that causes TB, is encapsulated by a thick and robust cell wall. The innermost segment of the cell wall is comprised of peptidoglycan, a layer that is required for survival and growth of the pathogen. Enzymes that catalyse biosynthesis of the peptidoglycan are essential and are therefore attractive targets for discovery of novel antibiotics as humans lack similar enzymes making it possible to selectively target bacteria only. In this paper, we have reviewed the structures and functions of enzymes GlmS, GlmM, GlmU, MurA, MurB, MurC, MurD, MurE and MurF from M. tuberculosis that are involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. In addition, we report homology modelled 3D structures of those key enzymes from M. tuberculosis of which the structures are still unknown. We demonstrated that natural substrates can be successfully docked into the active sites of the GlmS and GlmU respectively. It is therefore expected that the models and the data provided herein will facilitate translational research to develop new drugs to treat TB.

Purification and biochemical characterisation of GlmU from Yersinia pestis

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as a real threat to mankind, rendering many compounds ineffective in the fight against bacterial infection, including for significant diseases such as plague caused by Yersinia pestis. Essential genes have been identified as promising targets for inhibiting with new classes of compounds. Previously, the gene encoding the bifunctional UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase/glucosamine-1-phosphate N-acetyltransferase enzyme GlmU was confirmed as an essential gene in Yersinia. As a step towards exploiting this target for antimicrobial screening, we undertook a biochemical characterisation of the Yersinia GlmU. Effects of pH and magnesium concentration on the acetyltransferase and uridyltransferase activities were analysed, and kinetic parameters were determined. The acetyltransferase activity, which is strongly increased in the presence of reducing agent, was shown to be susceptible to oxidation and thiol-specific reagents.

Rational design of inhibitors of the bacterial cell wall synthetic enzyme GlmU using virtual screening and lead-hopping

An aminoquinazoline series targeting the essential bacterial enzyme GlmU (uridyltransferase) were previously reported (Biochem. J.2012, 446, 405). In this study, we further explored SAR through a combination of traditional medicinal chemistry and structure-based drug design, resulting in a novel scaffold (benzamide) with selectivity against protein kinases. Virtual screening identified fragments that could be fused into the core scaffold, exploiting additional binding interactions and thus improving potency. These efforts resulted in a hybrid compound with target potency increased by a 1000-fold, while maintaining selectivity against selected protein kinases and an improved level of solubility and protein binding. Despite these significant improvements no significant antibacterial activity was yet observed within this class.

Proteomic analysis of keratitis-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PURPOSE

To compare the proteomic profile of a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) obtained from an infected cornea of a contact lens wearer and the laboratory strain P. aeruginosa ATCC 10145.

METHODS

Antibiotic sensitivity, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence tests were performed using standard methods. Whole protein lysates were analyzed with liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in triplicate, and relative protein abundances were determined with spectral counting. The G test followed by a post hoc Holm-Sidak adjustment was used for the statistical analyses to determine significance in the differential expression of proteins between the two strains.

RESULTS

A total of 687 proteins were detected. One-hundred thirty-three (133) proteins were significantly different between the two strains. Among these, 13 were upregulated, and 16 were downregulated in the clinical strain compared to ATCC 10145, whereas 57 were detected only in the clinical strain. The upregulated proteins are associated with virulence and pathogenicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Proteins detected at higher levels in the clinical strain of P. aeruginosa were proteins known to be virulence factors. These results confirm that the keratitis-associated P. aeruginosa strain is pathogenic and expresses a higher number of virulence factors compared to the laboratory strain ATCC 10145. Identification of the protein profile of the corneal strain of P. aeruginosa in this study will aid in elucidating novel intervention strategies for reducing the burden of P. aeruginosa infection in keratitis.

GlmU (N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase) bound to three magnesium ions and ATP at the active site

N-Acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU), a bifunctional enzyme exclusive to prokaryotes, belongs to the family of sugar nucleotidyltransferases (SNTs). The enzyme binds GlcNAc-1-P and UTP, and catalyzes a uridyltransfer reaction to synthesize UDP-GlcNAc, an important precursor for cell-wall biosynthesis. As many SNTs are known to utilize a broad range of substrates, substrate specificity in GlmU was probed using biochemical and structural studies. The enzymatic assays reported here demonstrate that GlmU is specific for its natural substrates UTP and GlcNAc-1-P. The crystal structure of GlmU bound to ATP and GlcNAc-1-P provides molecular details for the inability of the enzyme to utilize ATP for the nucleotidyltransfer reaction. ATP binding results in an inactive pre-catalytic enzyme-substrate complex, where it adopts an unusual conformation such that the reaction cannot be catalyzed; here, ATP is shown to be bound together with three Mg2+ ions. Overall, this structure represents the binding of an inhibitory molecule at the active site and can potentially be used to develop new inhibitors of the enzyme. Further, similar to DNA/RNA polymerases, GlmU was recently recognized to utilize two metal ions, MgA2+ and MgB2+, to catalyze the uridyltransfer reaction. Interestingly, displacement of MgB2+ from its usual catalytically competent position, as noted in the crystal structure of RNA polymerase in an inactive state, was considered to be a key factor inhibiting the reaction. Surprisingly, in the current structure of GlmU MgB2+ is similarly displaced; this raises the possibility that an analogous inhibitory mechanism may be operative in GlmU.

Crystal structures identify an atypical two-metal-ion mechanism for uridyltransfer in GlmU: its significance to sugar nucleotidyl transferases

N-Acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU), exclusive to prokaryotes, is a bifunctional enzyme that synthesizes UDP-GlcNAc-an important component of the cell wall of many microorganisms. Uridyltransfer, one of the reactions it catalyzes, involves binding GlcNAc-1-P, UTP and Mg(2+) ions; however, whether one or two ions catalyze this reaction remains ambiguous. Here, we resolve this using biochemical and crystallographic studies on GlmU from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (GlmU(Mtb)) and identify a two-metal-ion mechanism (mechanism-B). In contrast to well-established two-metal mechanism (mechanism-A) for enzymes acting on nucleic acids, mechanism-B is distinct in the way the two Mg(2+) ions (Mg(2+)A and Mg(2+)B) are positioned and stabilized. Further, attempts to delineate the roles of the metal ions in substrate stabilization, nucleophile activation and transition-state stabilization are presented. Interestingly, a detailed analysis of the available structures of sugar nucleotidyl transferases (SNTs) suggests that they too would utilize mechanism-B rather than mechanism-A. Based on this, SNTs could be classified into Group-I, which employs the two-metal mechanism-B as in GlmU, and Group-II that employs a variant one-metal mechanism-B, wherein the role of Mg(2+)A is substituted by a conserved lysine. Strikingly, eukaryotic SNTs appear confined to Group-II. Recognizing these differences may be important in the design of selective inhibitors against microbial nucleotidyl transferases.

Viable screening targets related to the bacterial cell wall

The synthesis of the bacterial peptidoglycan has been recognized for over 50 years as fertile ground for antibacterial discovery. Initially, empirical screening of natural products for inhibition of bacterial growth detected many chemical classes of antibiotics whose specific mechanisms of action were eventually dissected and defined. Of the nontoxic antibiotics discovered, most were found to be inhibitors of either protein synthesis or cell wall synthesis, which led to more directed screening for inhibitors of these pathways. Directed screening and design programs for cell wall inhibitors have been undertaken since the 1960s. In that time it has become clear that, while certain steps and intermediates have yielded selective inhibitors and are established targets, other potential targets have not yielded inhibitors whose antibacterial activity is proven to be solely due to that inhibition. Why has this search been so problematic? Are the established targets still worth pursuing? This review will attempt to answer these and other questions and evaluate the viability of targets related to peptidoglycan synthesis.

An aminoquinazoline inhibitor of the essential bacterial cell wall synthetic enzyme GlmU has a unique non-protein-kinase-like binding mode

GlmU is a bifunctional enzyme with acetyltransferase and uridyltransferase activities, and is essential for the biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. Inhibition results in a loss of cell viability. GlmU is therefore considered a potential target for novel antibacterial agents. A HTS (high-throughput screen) identified a series of aminoquinazolines with submicromolar potency against the uridyltransferase reaction. Biochemical and biophysical characterization showed competition with UTP binding. We determined the crystal structure of a representative aminoquinazoline bound to the Haemophilus influenzae isoenzyme at a resolution of 2.0 Å. The inhibitor occupies part of the UTP site, skirts the outer perimeter of the GlcNAc1-P (N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate) pocket and anchors a hydrophobic moiety into a lipophilic pocket. Our SAR (structure-activity relationship) analysis shows that all of these interactions are essential for inhibitory activity in this series. The crystal structure suggests that the compound would block binding of UTP and lock GlmU in an apo-enzyme-like conformation, thus interfering with its enzymatic activity. Our lead generation effort provides ample scope for further optimization of these compounds for antibacterial drug discovery.

Kinetic modelling of GlmU reactions - prioritization of reaction for therapeutic application

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtu), a successful pathogen, has developed resistance against the existing anti-tubercular drugs necessitating discovery of drugs with novel action. Enzymes involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis are attractive targets for antibacterial drug discovery. The bifunctional enzyme mycobacterial GlmU (Glucosamine 1-phosphate N-acetyltransferase/ N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase) has been a target enzyme for drug discovery. Its C- and N- terminal domains catalyze acetyltransferase (rxn-1) and uridyltransferase (rxn-2) activities respectively and the final product is involved in peptidoglycan synthesis. However, the bifunctional nature of GlmU poses difficulty in deciding which function to be intervened for therapeutic advantage. Genetic analysis showed this as an essential gene but it is still unclear whether any one or both of the activities are critical for cell survival. Often enzymatic activity with suitable high-throughput assay is chosen for random screening, which may not be the appropriate biological function inhibited for maximal effect. Prediction of rate-limiting function by dynamic network analysis of reactions could be an option to identify the appropriate function. With a view to provide insights into biochemical assays with appropriate activity for inhibitor screening, kinetic modelling studies on GlmU were undertaken. Kinetic model of Mtu GlmU-catalyzed reactions was built based on the available kinetic data on Mtu and deduction from Escherichia coli data. Several model variants were constructed including coupled/decoupled, varying metabolite concentrations and presence/absence of product inhibitions. This study demonstrates that in coupled model at low metabolite concentrations, inhibition of either of the GlmU reactions cause significant decrement in the overall GlmU rate. However at higher metabolite concentrations, rxn-2 showed higher decrement. Moreover, with available intracellular concentration of the metabolites and in vivo variant of model, uncompetitive inhibition of rxn-2 caused highest decrement. Thus, at physiologically relevant metabolite concentrations, targeting uridyltranferase activity of Mtu GlmU would be a better choice for therapeutic intervention.

Discovery of a compound that acts as a bacterial PyrG (CTP synthase) inhibitor

PyrG (CTP synthase) catalyses the conversion of UTP to CTP, an essential step in the pyrimidine metabolic pathway in a variety of bacteria, including those causing community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs). In this study, a luminescence-based ATPase assay of PyrG was developed and used to evaluate the inhibitory activity of 2-(3-[3-oxo-1,2-benzisothiazol-2(3H)-yl]phenylsulfonylamino) benzoic acid (compound G1). Compound G1 inhibited PyrG derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae with a 50 % inhibitory concentration value of 0.091 µM, and the inhibitory activity of compound G1 was 13 times higher than that of acivicin (1.2 µM), an established PyrG inhibitor. The results of saturation transfer difference analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggested that these compounds compete with ATP and/or UTP for binding to Strep. pneumoniae PyrG. Finally, compound G1 was shown to have antimicrobial activity against several different bacteria causing RTIs, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae, suggesting that it is a prototype chemical compound that could be harnessed as an antimicrobial drug with a novel structure to target bacterial PyrG.

Identification of amino acids involved in catalytic process of M. tuberculosis GlmU acetyltransferase

M. tuberculosis GlmU is a bifunctional enzyme with acetyltransferase activity in C-terminus and uridyltransferase activity in N-terminus, and it is involved in the biosynthesis of glycosyl donor UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). The crystal structure of M. tuberculosis GlmU clearly determines the active site and catalytic mechanism of GlmU uridyltransferase domain but not succeed in GlmU acetyltransferase domain. Sequence comparison analysis revealed highly conserved amino acid residues in the C-terminus between M. tuberculosis GlmU and GlmU enzymes from other bacteria. To find the essential amino acids related to M. tuberculosis GlmU acetyltransferase activity, we substituted 10 conserved amino acids in the acetyltransferase domain of M. tuberculosis GlmU by site-directed mutagenesis. All the mutant GlmU proteins were largely expressed in soluble and purified by affinity chromatography. Enzyme assays showed that K362A, H374A, Y398A and W460A mutants abolished more than 90% activity of M. tuberculosis GlmU acetyltransferase and totally lost the affinity with two substrates, suggesting the potential substrate-binding functions. However, K403A, S416A, N456A and E458A mutants exhibited decreased GlmU acetyltransferase activity and lower kinetic parameters, probably responsible for substrate releasing by conformation shifting.

Structure-based virtual screening of novel inhibitors of the uridyltransferase activity of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae GlmU

N-Acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) catalyzes the formation of UDP-GlcNAc, a fundamental precursor in cell wall biosynthesis. GlmU represents an attractive target for new antibacterial agents. In this study, a theoretical three-dimensional (3D) structure of GlmU from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xo-GlmU) was generated, and the ligand-receptor interaction was investigated by molecular docking. Then a structure-based virtual screening was performed, three hit compounds were identified as specific inhibitors of the uridyltransferase activity of Xo-GlmU, with IC(50) values in the 0.81-23.21 μM range. Subsequently, the mode-of-inhibition and K(i) values of the three inhibitors were confirmed. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the candidate compounds for X. oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) were also determined. The research provided novel chemical scaffolds for antimicrobial drug discovery.

Discovery of a compound which acts as a bacterial UMP kinase PyrH inhibitor

PyrH is a member of the UMP kinase family that catalyses the conversion of UMP to UDP, an essential step in the pyrimidine metabolic pathway in a variety of bacteria including those causing community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs). In this study, we have developed a luminescence-based kinase assay of PyrH and evaluated the inhibitory activity of PYRH-1 (sodium {3-[4-tert-butyl-3-(9H-xanthen-9-ylacetylamino)phenyl]-1-cyclohexylmethylpropoxycarbonyloxy}acetate). PYRH-1 inhibits PyrH derived from both Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae with IC(50) (concentration of inhibitor giving a 50% decrease in enzyme activity) values of 48 and 75 μM, respectively, whose inhibitory activity against S. pneumoniae PyrH was far higher compared with that of UTP (IC(50)  = 710 μM), an allosteric PyrH inhibitor. The molecular interaction analysis by surface plasmon resonance suggested that PYRH-1 directly interacts with S. pneumoniae PyrH at one-to-one molar ratio. Finally, PYRH-1 was shown to have antimicrobial activity against several different bacteria causing RTIs, such as S. pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, H. influenzae (acrA knockout strain), suggesting that PYRH-1 is a prototype chemical compound that can be harnessed as an antimicrobial drug with a novel mode of action by targeting bacterial PyrH.

A high-throughput screen identifies a new natural product with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity

Due to the inexorable invasion of our hospitals and communities by drug-resistant bacteria, there is a pressing need for novel antibacterial agents. Here we report the development of a sensitive and robust but low-tech and inexpensive high-throughput metabolic screen for novel antibiotics. This screen is based on a colorimetric assay of pH that identifies inhibitors of bacterial sugar fermentation. After validation of the method, we screened over 39,000 crude extracts derived from organisms that grow in the diverse ecosystems of Costa Rica and identified 49 with reproducible antibacterial effects. An extract from an endophytic fungus was further characterized, and this led to the discovery of three novel natural products. One of these, which we named mirandamycin, has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This demonstrates the power of simple high throughput screens for rapid identification of new antibacterial agents from environmental samples.

CoA Adducts of 4-Oxo-4-Phenylbut-2-enoates: Inhibitors of MenB from the M. tuberculosis Menaquinone Biosynthesis Pathway

A high-throughput screen led to the discovery of 2-amino-4-oxo-4-phenylbutanoate inhibitors of the 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoyl-CoA synthase (MenB) from the menaquinone biosynthesis pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, these compounds are unstable in solution and eliminate to form the corresponding 4-oxo-4-phenylbut-2-enoates that then react with CoA in situ to form nanomolar inhibitors of MenB. The potency of these compounds results from interaction of the CoA adduct carboxylate with the MenB oxyanion hole, a conserved structural motif in the crotonase superfamily. 4-Oxo-4-chlorophenylbutenoyl methyl ester has MICs of 0.6 and 1.5 μg/ml against replicating and nonreplicating M. tuberculosis, respectively, and it is proposed that the methyl ester penetrates the cell where it is hydrolyzed and reacts with CoA to generate the active antibacterial. The CoA adducts thus represent an important foundation for the development of novel MenB inhibitors, and suggest a general approach to the development of potent inhibitors of acyl-CoA binding enzymes.

In vitro validation of acetyltransferase activity of GlmU as an antibacterial target in Haemophilus influenzae

GlmU is a bifunctional enzyme that is essential for bacterial growth, converting D-glucosamine 1-phosphate into UDP-GlcNAc via acetylation and subsequent uridyl transfer. A biochemical screen of AstraZeneca's compound library using GlmU of Escherichia coli identified novel sulfonamide inhibitors of the acetyltransferase reaction. Steady-state kinetics, ligand-observe NMR, isothermal titration calorimetry, and x-ray crystallography showed that the inhibitors were competitive with acetyl-CoA substrate. Iterative chemistry efforts improved biochemical potency against gram-negative isozymes 300-fold and afforded antimicrobial activity against a strain of Haemophilus influenzae lacking its major efflux pump. Inhibition of precursor incorporation into bacterial macromolecules was consistent with the antimicrobial activity being caused by disruption of peptidoglycan and fatty acid biosyntheses. Isolation and characterization of two different resistant mutant strains identified the GlmU acetyltransferase domain as the molecular target. These data, along with x-ray co-crystal structures, confirmed the binding mode of the inhibitors and explained their relative lack of potency against gram-positive GlmU isozymes. This is the first example of antimicrobial compounds mediating their growth inhibitory effects specifically via GlmU.

Development of a colorimetric assay and kinetic analysis for Mycobacterium tuberculosis D-glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase

dTDP-L-rhamnose as a sugar donor provides L-rhamnosyl residue in the synthesis of disaccharide linker (D-N-acetylglucosamine-L-rhamnose), the key structure of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall. Four enzymes are involved in the formation of dTDP-L-rhamnose and D-glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RmlA) catalyzes the first step of D-glucose-1-phosphate and dTTP to dTDP-D-glucose and PPi. The previous studies on RmlA essentiality proved RmlA as a potential target for antituberculosis drugs. However, there has not been a suitable assay for RmlA to screen inhibitors currently. In this study, the authors reported a microtiter plate-based colorimetric assay for RmlA enzyme activity. Using this assay, the kinetic properties of M. tuberculosis RmlA including initial velocity, optimal temperature, optimal pH, the effect of Mg(2+), and kinetic parameters were determined. The establishment of the accurate and rapid colorimetric assay and kinetic analysis of M. tuberculosis RmlA will facilitate high-throughput screening of RmlA inhibitors.

Reconstruction of the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine biosynthetic pathway in cell-free system

A functional glucokinase (YqgR), N-acetylglucosamine-phosphate mutase (Agm1) and N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) were synthesized simultaneously in an Escherichia coli cell-free system. These three enzymes were coupled to reconstruct a biosynthetic pathway which could produce UDP-N-acetylglucosamine with N-acetylglucosamine as the substrate.