1
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Farrar A, Feehily C, Turner P, Zagajewski A, Chatzimichail S, Crook D, Andersson M, Oakley S, Barrett L, El Sayyed H, Fowler PW, Nellåker C, Kapanidis AN, Stoesser N. Infection Inspection: using the power of citizen science for image-based prediction of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli treated with ciprofloxacin. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19543. [PMID: 39174600 PMCID: PMC11341553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69341-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is an urgent global health challenge, necessitating rapid diagnostic tools to combat its threat. This study uses citizen science and image feature analysis to profile the cellular features associated with antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli. Between February and April 2023, we conducted the Infection Inspection project, in which 5273 volunteers made 1,045,199 classifications of single-cell images from five E. coli strains, labelling them as antibiotic-sensitive or antibiotic-resistant based on their response to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. User accuracy in image classification reached 66.8 ± 0.1%, lower than our deep learning model's performance at 75.3 ± 0.4%, but both users and the model were more accurate when classifying cells treated at a concentration greater than the strain's own minimum inhibitory concentration. We used the users' classifications to elucidate which visual features influence classification decisions, most importantly the degree of DNA compaction and heterogeneity. We paired our classification data with an image feature analysis which showed that most of the incorrect classifications happened when cellular features varied from the expected response. This understanding informs ongoing efforts to enhance the robustness of our diagnostic methodology. Infection Inspection is another demonstration of the potential for public participation in research, specifically increasing public awareness of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Farrar
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Conor Feehily
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Piers Turner
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Alexander Zagajewski
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Stelios Chatzimichail
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Derrick Crook
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Monique Andersson
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sarah Oakley
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Lucinda Barrett
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hafez El Sayyed
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Philip W Fowler
- National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Christoffer Nellåker
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Nicole Stoesser
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK.
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2
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Nagarajan T, Gayathri MP, Mack J, Nyokong T, Govindarajan S, Babu B. Blue-Light-Activated Water-Soluble Sn(IV)-Porphyrins for Antibacterial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT) against Drug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2365-2374. [PMID: 38620059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c01162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a global threat to the treatment of infectious diseases. Antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a promising alternative approach and is highly suitable for the treatment of cutaneous bacterial infections through topical applications. aPDT relies on light-responsive compounds called photosensitizer (PS) dyes, which generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) when induced by light, thereby killing bacterial cells. Despite several previous studies in this area, the molecular details of targeting and cell death mediated by PS dyes are poorly understood. In this study, we further investigate the antibacterial properties of two water-soluble Sn(IV) tetrapyridylporphyrins that were quaternized with methyl and hexyl groups (1 and 2). In this follow-up study, we demonstrate that Sn(IV)-porphyrins can be photoexcited by blue light (a 427 nm LED) and exhibit various levels of bactericidal activity against both Gram-(+) and Gram-(-) strains of bacteria. Using localization studies through fluorescence microscopy, we show that 2 targets the bacterial membrane more effectively than 1 and exhibits comparatively higher aPDT activity. Using multiple fluorescence reporters, we demonstrate that photoactivation of 1 and 2 results in extensive collateral damage to the bacterial cells including DNA cleavage, membrane damage, and delocalization of central systems necessary for bacterial growth and division. In summary, this investigation provides deep insights into the mechanism of bacterial killing mediated by the Sn(IV)-porphyrins. Moreover, our approach offers a new method for evaluating the activity of PS, which may inspire the discovery of new PS with enhanced aPDT activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Nagarajan
- Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati 522502, India
| | - M P Gayathri
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University-AP, Amaravati 522502, India
| | - John Mack
- Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
| | - Tebello Nyokong
- Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
| | | | - Balaji Babu
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University-AP, Amaravati 522502, India
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3
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Schäfer AB, Sidarta M, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Marinho Righetto G, Arshad A, Wenzel M. Dissecting antibiotic effects on the cell envelope using bacterial cytological profiling: a phenotypic analysis starter kit. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0327523. [PMID: 38289933 PMCID: PMC10913488 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03275-23] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic analysis assays such as bacterial cytological profiling (BCP) have become increasingly popular for antibiotic mode of action analysis. A plethora of dyes, protein fusions, and reporter strains are available and have been used for this purpose, enabling both rapid mode of action categorization and in-depth analysis of antibiotic mechanisms. However, non-expert researchers may struggle choosing suitable assays and interpreting results. This is a particular problem for antibiotics that have multiple or complex targets, such as the bacterial cell envelope. Here, we set out to curate a minimal set of accessible and affordable phenotypic assays that allow distinction between membrane and cell wall targets, can identify dual-action inhibitors, and can be implemented in most research environments. To this end, we employed BCP, membrane potential, fluidity, and cell wall synthesis assays. To assess specificity and ease of interpretation, we tested three well-characterized and commercially available reference antibiotics: the potassium ionophore valinomycin, the lipid II-binding glycopeptide vancomycin, and the dual-action lantibiotic nisin, which binds lipid II and forms a membrane pore. Based on our experiments, we suggest a minimal set of BCP, a membrane-potentiometric probe, and fluorescent protein fusions to MinD and MreB as basic assay set and recommend complementing these assays with Laurdan-based fluidity measurements and a PliaI reporter fusion, where indicated. We believe that our results can provide guidance for researchers who wish to use phenotypic analysis for mode of action studies but do not possess the specialized equipment or expert knowledge to employ the full breadth of possible techniques.IMPORTANCEPhenotypic analysis assays using specialized fluorescence fusions and dyes have become increasingly popular in antibiotic mode of action analysis. However, it can be difficult to implement these methods due to the need for specialized equipment and/or the complexity of bacterial cell biology and physiology, making the interpretation of results difficult for non-experts. This is especially problematic for compounds that have multiple or pleiotropic effects, such as inhibitors of the bacterial cell envelope. In order to make phenotypic analysis assays accessible to labs, whose primary expertise is not bacterial cell biology, or with limited equipment and resources, a set of simple and broadly accessible assays is needed that is easy to implement, execute, and interpret. Here, we have curated a set of assays and strains that does not need highly specialized equipment, can be performed in most labs, and is straightforward to interpret without knowing the intricacies of bacterial cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Margareth Sidarta
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Aysha Arshad
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
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4
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MohanaSundaram A, Suriyamoorthy A, Vikram Singh A, Kumar S, Amin R, Emran TB. Binding to the immutable targets: a novel strategy to combat surgical-site infections caused by multidrug-resistant superbugs. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2024; 86:28-31. [PMID: 38222675 PMCID: PMC10783363 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Akhilesh Vikram Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era Deemed to be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences. Sheikhpura, Patna, Bihar
| | - Ruhul Amin
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Assam down town University, Panikhaiti, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Talha Bin Emran
- Department of Pharmacy, BGC Trust University Bangladesh, Chittagong, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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5
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Kamal El-Sagheir AM, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. Rational design, synthesis, molecular modeling, biological activity, and mechanism of action of polypharmacological norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2593-2610. [PMID: 38099058 PMCID: PMC10718593 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00309d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antibiotics that target gyrase and topoisomerase IV, involved in DNA compaction and segregation. We synthesized 28 novel norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives with additional metal-chelating and hydrophobic pharmacophores, designed to enable interactions with additional drug targets. Several compounds showed equal or better activity than norfloxacin against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacteria, with MICs as low as 0.18 μM. The most interesting derivatives were selected for in silico, in vitro, and in vivo mode of action studies. Molecular docking, enzyme inhibition, and bacterial cytological profiling confirmed inhibition of gyrase and topoisomerase IV for all except two tested derivatives (10f and 11f). Further phenotypic analysis revealed polypharmacological effects on peptidoglycan synthesis for four derivatives (16a, 17a, 17b, 20b). Interestingly, compounds 17a, 17b, and 20b, showed never seen before effects on cell wall synthetic enzymes, including MreB, MurG, and PonA, suggesting a novel mechanism of action, possibly impairing the lipid II cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S Aboraia
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Farghaly A Omar
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
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6
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Zagajewski A, Turner P, Feehily C, El Sayyed H, Andersson M, Barrett L, Oakley S, Stracy M, Crook D, Nellåker C, Stoesser N, Kapanidis AN. Deep learning and single-cell phenotyping for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility detection in Escherichia coli. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1164. [PMID: 37964031 PMCID: PMC10645916 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05524-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest public health challenges, already causing up to 1.2 million deaths annually and rising. Current culture-based turnaround times for bacterial identification in clinical samples and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are typically 18-24 h. We present a novel proof-of-concept methodological advance in susceptibility testing based on the deep-learning of single-cell specific morphological phenotypes directly associated with antimicrobial susceptibility in Escherichia coli. Our models can reliably (80% single-cell accuracy) classify untreated and treated susceptible cells for a lab-reference fully susceptible E. coli strain, across four antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, rifampicin and co-amoxiclav). For ciprofloxacin, we demonstrate our models reveal significant (p < 0.001) differences between bacterial cell populations affected and unaffected by antibiotic treatment, and show that given treatment with a fixed concentration of 10 mg/L over 30 min these phenotypic effects correlate with clinical susceptibility defined by established clinical breakpoints. Deploying our approach on cell populations from six E. coli strains obtained from human bloodstream infections with varying degrees of ciprofloxacin resistance and treated with a range of ciprofloxacin concentrations, we show single-cell phenotyping has the potential to provide equivalent information to growth-based AST assays, but in as little as 30 min.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Zagajewski
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Piers Turner
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Conor Feehily
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hafez El Sayyed
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Monique Andersson
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Lucinda Barrett
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sarah Oakley
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Mathew Stracy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Derrick Crook
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Christoffer Nellåker
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Big Data Institute, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | - Nicole Stoesser
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK.
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
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7
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Kifayat S, Yele V, Ashames A, Sigalapalli DK, Bhandare RR, Shaik AB, Nasipireddy V, Sanapalli BKR. Filamentous temperature sensitive mutant Z: a putative target to combat antibacterial resistance. RSC Adv 2023; 13:11368-11384. [PMID: 37057268 PMCID: PMC10089256 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra00013c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the pre-antibiotic era, common bacterial infections accounted for high mortality and morbidity. Moreover, the discovery of penicillin in 1928 marked the beginning of an antibiotic revolution, and this antibiotic era witnessed the discovery of many novel antibiotics, a golden era. However, the misuse or overuse of these antibiotics, natural resistance that existed even before the antibiotics were discovered, genetic variations in bacteria, natural selection, and acquisition of resistance from one species to another consistently increased the resistance to the existing antibacterial targets. Antibacterial resistance (ABR) is now becoming an ever-increasing concern jeopardizing global health. Henceforth, there is an urgent unmet need to discover novel compounds to combat ABR, which act through untapped pathways/mechanisms. Filamentous Temperature Sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) is one such unique target, a tubulin homolog involved in developing a cytoskeletal framework for the cytokinetic ring. Additionally, its pivotal role in bacterial cell division and the lack of homologous structural protein in mammals makes it a potential antibacterial target for developing novel molecules. Approximately 2176 X-crystal structures of FtsZ were available, which initiated the research efforts to develop novel antibacterial agents. The literature has reported several natural, semisynthetic, peptides, and synthetic molecules as FtsZ inhibitors. This review provides valuable insights into the basic crystal structure of FtsZ, its inhibitors, and their inhibitory activities. This review also describes the available in vitro detection and quantification methods of FtsZ-drug complexes and the various approaches for determining drugs targeting FtsZ polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaiya Kifayat
- Department of Pharmacology, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University Rajasthan Jaipur 303121 India +91-9291661992
| | - Vidyasrilekha Yele
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University Rajasthan Jaipur 303121 India
| | - Akram Ashames
- College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University PO Box 340 Ajman United Arab Emirates
- Center of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University PO Box 340 Ajman United Arab Emirates +97167056240
| | - Dilep Kumar Sigalapalli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vignan Pharmacy College, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Vadlamudi 522213 Andhra Pradesh India
| | - Richie R Bhandare
- College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University PO Box 340 Ajman United Arab Emirates
- Center of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University PO Box 340 Ajman United Arab Emirates +97167056240
| | - Afzal B Shaik
- St. Mary's College of Pharmacy, St. Mary's Group of Institutions Guntur, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada Chebrolu Guntur 522212 Andhra Pradesh India
| | | | - Bharat Kumar Reddy Sanapalli
- Department of Pharmacology, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University Rajasthan Jaipur 303121 India +91-9291661992
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8
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Sarkar P, De K, Modi M, Dhanda G, Priyadarshini R, Bandow JE, Haldar J. Next-generation membrane-active glycopeptide antibiotics that also inhibit bacterial cell division. Chem Sci 2023; 14:2386-2398. [PMID: 36873852 PMCID: PMC9977398 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05600c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to vancomycin, a life-saving drug against Gram-positive bacterial infections necessitates developing alternative therapeutics. Herein, we report vancomycin derivatives that assimilate mechanisms beyond d-Ala-d-Ala binding. The role of hydrophobicity towards the structure and function of the membrane-active vancomycin showed that alkyl-cationic substitutions favored broad-spectrum activity. The lead molecule, VanQAmC10 delocalized the cell division protein MinD in Bacillus subtilis, implying an impact on bacterial cell division. Further examination of wild-type, GFP-FtsZ, or GFP-FtsI producing- and ΔamiAC mutants of Escherichia coli revealed filamentous phenotypes and delocalization of the FtsI protein. The findings indicate that VanQAmC10 also inhibits bacterial cell division, a property previously unknown for glycopeptide antibiotics. The conjunction of multiple mechanisms contributes to its superior efficacy against metabolically active and inactive bacteria, wherein vancomycin is ineffective. Additionally, VanQAmC10 exhibits high efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Acinetobacter baumannii in mouse models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paramita Sarkar
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit and School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bengaluru 560064 Karnataka India +91 802208 2565
| | - Kathakali De
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit and School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bengaluru 560064 Karnataka India +91 802208 2565
| | - Malvika Modi
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University Dadri 201314 UP India
| | - Geetika Dhanda
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit and School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bengaluru 560064 Karnataka India +91 802208 2565
| | - Richa Priyadarshini
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University Dadri 201314 UP India
| | - Julia E Bandow
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150 44780 Bochum Germany
| | - Jayanta Haldar
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit and School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bengaluru 560064 Karnataka India +91 802208 2565
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9
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Sharma AK, Poddar SM, Chakraborty J, Nayak BS, Kalathil S, Mitra N, Gayathri P, Srinivasan R. A mechanism of salt bridge-mediated resistance to FtsZ inhibitor PC190723 revealed by a cell-based screen. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar16. [PMID: 36652338 PMCID: PMC10011733 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-12-0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cell division proteins, especially the tubulin homologue FtsZ, have emerged as strong targets for developing new antibiotics. Here, we have utilized the fission yeast heterologous expression system to develop a cell-based assay to screen for small molecules that directly and specifically target the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. The strategy also allows for simultaneous assessment of the toxicity of the drugs to eukaryotic yeast cells. As a proof-of-concept of the utility of this assay, we demonstrate the effect of the inhibitors sanguinarine, berberine, and PC190723 on FtsZ. Though sanguinarine and berberine affect FtsZ polymerization, they exert a toxic effect on the cells. Further, using this assay system, we show that PC190723 affects Helicobacter pylori FtsZ function and gain new insights into the molecular determinants of resistance to PC190723. On the basis of sequence and structural analysis and site-specific mutations, we demonstrate that the presence of salt bridge interactions between the central H7 helix and β-strands S9 and S10 mediates resistance to PC190723 in FtsZ. The single-step in vivo cell-based assay using fission yeast enabled us to dissect the contribution of sequence-specific features of FtsZ and cell permeability effects associated with bacterial cell envelopes. Thus, our assay serves as a potent tool to rapidly identify novel compounds targeting polymeric bacterial cytoskeletal proteins like FtsZ to understand how they alter polymerization dynamics and address resistance determinants in targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar Sharma
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Sakshi Mahesh Poddar
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Joyeeta Chakraborty
- Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Bhagyashri Soumya Nayak
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Srilakshmi Kalathil
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Nivedita Mitra
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Pananghat Gayathri
- Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Ramanujam Srinivasan
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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10
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Chai WC, Whittall JJ, Polyak SW, Foo K, Li X, Dutschke CJ, Ogunniyi AD, Ma S, Sykes MJ, Semple SJ, Venter H. Cinnamaldehyde derivatives act as antimicrobial agents against Acinetobacter baumannii through the inhibition of cell division. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:967949. [PMID: 36106080 PMCID: PMC9465178 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.967949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen with high intrinsic antimicrobial resistance while multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains of this pathogen are emerging. Treatment options for infections by these strains are very limited, hence new therapies are urgently needed. The bacterial cell division protein, FtsZ, is a promising drug target for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. We have previously reported limited activity of cinnamaldehyde analogs against Escherichia coli. In this study, we have determined the antimicrobial activity of six cinnamaldehyde analogs for antimicrobial activity against A. baumannii. Microscopic analysis was performed to determine if the compounds inhibit cell division. The on-target effect of the compounds was assessed by analyzing their effect on polymerization and on the GTPase activity of purified FtsZ from A. baumannii. In silico docking was used to assess the binding of cinnamaldehyde analogs. Finally, in vivo and in vitro safety assays were performed. All six compounds displayed antibacterial activity against the critical priority pathogen A. baumannii, with 4-bromophenyl-substituted 4 displaying the most potent antimicrobial activity (MIC 32 μg/mL). Bioactivity was significantly increased in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor for A. baumannii ATCC 19606 (up to 32-fold) and significantly, for extensively drug resistant UW 5075 (greater than 4-fold), suggesting that efflux contributes to the intrinsic resistance of A. baumannii against these agents. The compounds inhibited cell division in A. baumannii as observed by the elongated phenotype and targeted the FtsZ protein as seen from the inhibition of polymerization and GTPase activity. In silico docking predicted that the compounds bind in the interdomain cleft adjacent to the H7 core helix. Di-chlorinated 6 was devoid of hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity against mammalian cells in vitro, as well as adverse activity in a Caenorhabditis elegans nematode model in vivo. Together, these findings present halogenated analogs 4 and 6 as promising candidates for further development as antimicrobial agents aimed at combating A. baumannii. This is also the first report of FtsZ-targeting compounds with activity against an XDR A. baumannii strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wern Chern Chai
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jonathan J. Whittall
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Steven W. Polyak
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Klyie Foo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Cameron J. Dutschke
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Abiodun D. Ogunniyi
- Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Shutao Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Matthew J. Sykes
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Susan J. Semple
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Henrietta Venter
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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11
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Khan F, Jeong GJ, Tabassum N, Mishra A, Kim YM. Filamentous morphology of bacterial pathogens: regulatory factors and control strategies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:5835-5862. [PMID: 35989330 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12128-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated that when exposed to physical, chemical, and biological stresses in the environment, many bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) change their morphology from a normal cell to a filamentous shape. The formation of filamentous morphology is one of the survival strategies against environmental stress and protection against phagocytosis or protist predators. Numerous pathogenic bacteria have shown filamentous morphologies when examined in vivo or in vitro. During infection, certain pathogenic bacteria adopt a filamentous shape inside the cell to avoid phagocytosis by immune cells. Filamentous morphology has also been seen in biofilms formed on biotic or abiotic surfaces by certain bacteria. As a result, in addition to protecting against phagocytosis by immune cells or predators, the filamentous shape aids in biofilm adhesion or colonization to biotic or abiotic surfaces. Furthermore, these filamentous morphologies of bacterial pathogens lead to antimicrobial drug resistance. Clinically, filamentous morphology has become one of the most serious challenges in treating bacterial infection. The current review went into great detail about the various factors involved in the change of filamentous morphology and the underlying mechanisms. In addition, the review discussed a control strategy for suppressing filamentous morphology in order to combat bacterial infections. Understanding the mechanism underlying the filamentous morphology induced by various environmental conditions will aid in drug development and lessen the virulence of bacterial pathogens. KEY POINTS: • The bacterial filamentation morphology is one of the survival mechanisms against several environmental stress conditions and protection from phagocytosis by host cells and protist predators. • The filamentous morphologies in bacterial pathogens contribute to enhanced biofilm formation, which develops resistance properties against antimicrobial drugs. • Filamentous morphology has become one of the major hurdles in treating bacterial infection, hence controlling strategies employed for inhibiting the filamentation morphology from combating bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Akanksha Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, Division of Research and Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144001, India
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Andreu JM, Huecas S, Araújo-Bazán L, Vázquez-Villa H, Martín-Fontecha M. The Search for Antibacterial Inhibitors Targeting Cell Division Protein FtsZ at Its Nucleotide and Allosteric Binding Sites. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1825. [PMID: 36009372 PMCID: PMC9405007 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The global spread of bacterial antimicrobial resistance is associated to millions of deaths from bacterial infections per year, many of which were previously treatable. This, combined with slow antibiotic deployment, has created an urgent need for developing new antibiotics. A still clinically unexploited mode of action consists in suppressing bacterial cell division. FtsZ, an assembling GTPase, is the key protein organizing division in most bacteria and an attractive target for antibiotic discovery. Nevertheless, developing effective antibacterial inhibitors targeting FtsZ has proven challenging. Here we review our decade-long multidisciplinary research on small molecule inhibitors of bacterial division, in the context of global efforts to discover FtsZ-targeting antibiotics. We focus on methods to characterize synthetic inhibitors that either replace bound GTP from the FtsZ nucleotide binding pocket conserved across diverse bacteria or selectively bind into the allosteric site at the interdomain cleft of FtsZ from Bacillus subtilis and the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. These approaches include phenotype screening combined with fluorescence polarization screens for ligands binding into each site, followed by detailed cytological profiling, and biochemical and structural studies. The results are analyzed to design an optimized workflow to identify effective FtsZ inhibitors, and new approaches for the discovery of FtsZ-targeting antibiotics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M. Andreu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (S.H.); (L.A.-B.)
| | - Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (S.H.); (L.A.-B.)
| | - Lidia Araújo-Bazán
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (S.H.); (L.A.-B.)
| | - Henar Vázquez-Villa
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Mar Martín-Fontecha
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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13
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Gurnani M, Chauhan A, Ranjan A, Tuli HS, Alkhanani MF, Haque S, Dhama K, Lal R, Jindal T. Filamentous Thermosensitive Mutant Z: An Appealing Target for Emerging Pathogens and a Trek on Its Natural Inhibitors. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:624. [PMID: 35625352 PMCID: PMC9138142 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a major emerging issue in the health care sector, as highlighted by the WHO. Filamentous Thermosensitive mutant Z (Fts-Z) is gaining significant attention in the scientific community as a potential anti-bacterial target for fighting antibiotic resistance among several pathogenic bacteria. The Fts-Z plays a key role in bacterial cell division by allowing Z ring formation. Several in vitro and in silico experiments have demonstrated that inhibition of Fts-Z can lead to filamentous growth of the cells, and finally, cell death occurs. Many natural compounds that have successfully inhibited Fts-Z are also studied. This review article intended to highlight the structural-functional aspect of Fts-Z that leads to Z-ring formation and its contribution to the biochemistry and physiology of cells. The current trend of natural inhibitors of Fts-Z protein is also covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Gurnani
- Amity Institute of Environmental Science, Amity University, Noida 201301, India;
| | - Abhishek Chauhan
- Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Safety and Management, Amity University, Noida 201303, India;
| | - Anuj Ranjan
- Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 344006 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
| | - Hardeep Singh Tuli
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala 133207, India;
| | - Mustfa F. Alkhanani
- Emergency Service Department, College of Applied Sciences, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh 11597, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia;
- Faculty of Medicine, Görükle Campus, Bursa Uludağ University, Nilüfer, Bursa 16059, Turkey
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR—Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India;
| | - Rup Lal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110021, India;
| | - Tanu Jindal
- Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Safety and Management, Amity University, Noida 201303, India;
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14
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Bartholomäus A, Kolte B, Mustafayeva A, Goebel I, Fuchs S, Benndorf D, Engelmann S, Ignatova Z. smORFer: a modular algorithm to detect small ORFs in prokaryotes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:e89. [PMID: 34125903 PMCID: PMC8421149 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence places small proteins (≤50 amino acids) more centrally in physiological processes. Yet, their functional identification and the systematic genome annotation of their cognate small open-reading frames (smORFs) remains challenging both experimentally and computationally. Ribosome profiling or Ribo-Seq (that is a deep sequencing of ribosome-protected fragments) enables detecting of actively translated open-reading frames (ORFs) and empirical annotation of coding sequences (CDSs) using the in-register translation pattern that is characteristic for genuinely translating ribosomes. Multiple identifiers of ORFs that use the 3-nt periodicity in Ribo-Seq data sets have been successful in eukaryotic smORF annotation. They have difficulties evaluating prokaryotic genomes due to the unique architecture (e.g. polycistronic messages, overlapping ORFs, leaderless translation, non-canonical initiation etc.). Here, we present a new algorithm, smORFer, which performs with high accuracy in prokaryotic organisms in detecting putative smORFs. The unique feature of smORFer is that it uses an integrated approach and considers structural features of the genetic sequence along with in-frame translation and uses Fourier transform to convert these parameters into a measurable score to faithfully select smORFs. The algorithm is executed in a modular way, and dependent on the data available for a particular organism, different modules can be selected for smORF search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bartholomäus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.,Inst. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Baban Kolte
- Inst. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ayten Mustafayeva
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Microbial Proteomics, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.,Inst. Microbiology, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ingrid Goebel
- Inst. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Benndorf
- Otto von Guericke University, Bioprocess Engineering, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Bioprocess Engineering, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Engelmann
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Microbial Proteomics, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.,Inst. Microbiology, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Zoya Ignatova
- Inst. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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15
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Huecas S, Araújo-Bazán L, Ruiz FM, Ruiz-Ávila LB, Martínez RF, Escobar-Peña A, Artola M, Vázquez-Villa H, Martín-Fontecha M, Fernández-Tornero C, López-Rodríguez ML, Andreu JM. Targeting the FtsZ Allosteric Binding Site with a Novel Fluorescence Polarization Screen, Cytological and Structural Approaches for Antibacterial Discovery. J Med Chem 2021; 64:5730-5745. [PMID: 33908781 PMCID: PMC8478281 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics makes previously manageable infections again disabling and lethal, highlighting the need for new antibacterial strategies. In this regard, inhibition of the bacterial division process by targeting key protein FtsZ has been recognized as an attractive approach for discovering new antibiotics. Binding of small molecules to the cleft between the N-terminal guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding and the C-terminal subdomains allosterically impairs the FtsZ function, eventually inhibiting bacterial division. Nonetheless, the lack of appropriate chemical tools to develop a binding screen against this site has hampered the discovery of FtsZ antibacterial inhibitors. Herein, we describe the first competitive binding assay to identify FtsZ allosteric ligands interacting with the interdomain cleft, based on the use of specific high-affinity fluorescent probes. This novel assay, together with phenotypic profiling and X-ray crystallographic insights, enables the identification and characterization of FtsZ inhibitors of bacterial division aiming at the discovery of more effective antibacterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Araújo-Bazán
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico M Ruiz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura B Ruiz-Ávila
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - R Fernando Martínez
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Escobar-Peña
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Artola
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Henar Vázquez-Villa
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Martín-Fontecha
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Fernández-Tornero
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María L López-Rodríguez
- Dept. Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Andreu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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16
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Zorrilla S, Monterroso B, Robles-Ramos MÁ, Margolin W, Rivas G. FtsZ Interactions and Biomolecular Condensates as Potential Targets for New Antibiotics. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10030254. [PMID: 33806332 PMCID: PMC7999717 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
FtsZ is an essential and central protein for cell division in most bacteria. Because of its ability to organize into dynamic polymers at the cell membrane and recruit other protein partners to form a “divisome”, FtsZ is a leading target in the quest for new antibacterial compounds. Strategies to potentially arrest the essential and tightly regulated cell division process include perturbing FtsZ’s ability to interact with itself and other divisome proteins. Here, we discuss the available methodologies to screen for and characterize those interactions. In addition to assays that measure protein-ligand interactions in solution, we also discuss the use of minimal membrane systems and cell-like compartments to better approximate the native bacterial cell environment and hence provide a more accurate assessment of a candidate compound’s potential in vivo effect. We particularly focus on ways to measure and inhibit under-explored interactions between FtsZ and partner proteins. Finally, we discuss recent evidence that FtsZ forms biomolecular condensates in vitro, and the potential implications of these assemblies in bacterial resistance to antibiotic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Zorrilla
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.-Á.R.-R.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (B.M.); Tel.: +34-91-837-3112 (S.Z. & B.M.)
| | - Begoña Monterroso
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.-Á.R.-R.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (B.M.); Tel.: +34-91-837-3112 (S.Z. & B.M.)
| | - Miguel-Ángel Robles-Ramos
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.-Á.R.-R.); (G.R.)
| | - William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Germán Rivas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.-Á.R.-R.); (G.R.)
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17
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Schäfer AB, Wenzel M. A How-To Guide for Mode of Action Analysis of Antimicrobial Peptides. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:540898. [PMID: 33194788 PMCID: PMC7604286 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.540898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising alternative to classical antibiotics in the fight against multi-resistant bacteria. They are produced by organisms from all domains of life and constitute a nearly universal defense mechanism against infectious agents. No drug can be approved without information about its mechanism of action. In order to use them in a clinical setting, it is pivotal to understand how AMPs work. While many pore-forming AMPs are well-characterized in model membrane systems, non-pore-forming peptides are often poorly understood. Moreover, there is evidence that pore formation may not happen or not play a role in vivo. It is therefore imperative to study how AMPs interact with their targets in vivo and consequently kill microorganisms. This has been difficult in the past, since established methods did not provide much mechanistic detail. Especially, methods to study membrane-active compounds have been scarce. Recent advances, in particular in microscopy technology and cell biological labeling techniques, now allow studying mechanisms of AMPs in unprecedented detail. This review gives an overview of available in vivo methods to investigate the antibacterial mechanisms of AMPs. In addition to classical mode of action classification assays, we discuss global profiling techniques, such as genomic and proteomic approaches, as well as bacterial cytological profiling and other cell biological assays. We cover approaches to determine the effects of AMPs on cell morphology, outer membrane, cell wall, and inner membrane properties, cellular macromolecules, and protein targets. We particularly expand on methods to examine cytoplasmic membrane parameters, such as composition, thickness, organization, fluidity, potential, and the functionality of membrane-associated processes. This review aims to provide a guide for researchers, who seek a broad overview of the available methodology to study the mechanisms of AMPs in living bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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18
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Overproduction of a Dominant Mutant of the Conserved Era GTPase Inhibits Cell Division in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00342-20. [PMID: 32817092 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00342-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell growth and division are coordinated, ensuring homeostasis under any given growth condition, with division occurring as cell mass doubles. The signals and controlling circuit(s) between growth and division are not well understood; however, it is known in Escherichia coli that the essential GTPase Era, which is growth rate regulated, coordinates the two functions and may be a checkpoint regulator of both. We have isolated a mutant of Era that separates its effect on growth and division. When overproduced, the mutant protein Era647 is dominant to wild-type Era and blocks division, causing cells to filament. Multicopy suppressors that prevent the filamentation phenotype of Era647 either increase the expression of FtsZ or decrease the expression of the Era647 protein. Excess Era647 induces complete delocalization of Z rings, providing an explanation for why Era647 induces filamentation, but this effect is probably not due to direct interaction between Era647 and FtsZ. The hypermorphic ftsZ* allele at the native locus can suppress the effects of Era647 overproduction, indicating that extra FtsZ is not required for the suppression, but another hypermorphic allele that accelerates cell division through periplasmic signaling, ftsL*, cannot. Together, these results suggest that Era647 blocks cell division by destabilizing the Z ring.IMPORTANCE All cells need to coordinate their growth and division, and small GTPases that are conserved throughout life play a key role in this regulation. One of these, Era, provides an essential function in the assembly of the 30S ribosomal subunit in Escherichia coli, but its role in regulating E. coli cell division is much less well understood. Here, we characterize a novel dominant negative mutant of Era (Era647) that uncouples these two activities when overproduced; it inhibits cell division by disrupting assembly of the Z ring, without significantly affecting ribosome production. The unique properties of this mutant should help to elucidate how Era regulates cell division and coordinates this process with ribosome biogenesis.
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19
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Han H, Wang Z, Li T, Teng D, Mao R, Hao Y, Yang N, Wang X, Wang J. Recent progress of bacterial FtsZ inhibitors with a focus on peptides. FEBS J 2020; 288:1091-1106. [PMID: 32681661 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the rise of antibiotic resistance has become a primary health problem. With the emergence of bacterial resistance, the need to explore and develop novel antibacterial drugs has become increasingly urgent. Filamentous temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ), a crucial cell division protein of bacteria, has become a vital antibacterial target. FtsZ is a filamentous GTPase; it is highly conserved in bacteria and shares less than 20% sequence identity with the eukaryotic cytoskeleton protein tubulin, indicating that FtsZ-targeting antibacterial agents may have a low cytotoxicity toward eukaryotes. FtsZ can form a dynamic Z-ring in the center of the cell resulting in cell division. Furthermore, disturbance in the assembly of FtsZ may affect cellular dynamics and bacterial cell survival, making it a fascinating target for drug development. This review focuses on the recent discovery of FtsZ inhibitors, including peptides, natural products, and other synthetic small molecules, as well as their mechanism of action, which could facilitate the discovery of novel FtsZ-targeting clinical drugs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Han
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenlong Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Li
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Da Teng
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Ruoyu Mao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Hao
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Na Yang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Xiumin Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
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20
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Photochemically-Generated Silver Chloride Nanoparticles Stabilized by a Peptide Inhibitor of Cell Division and Its Antimicrobial Properties. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10904-019-01427-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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21
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Zheng Y, Meng F, Zhu Z, Wei W, Sun Z, Chen J, Yu B, Lou C, Chen GQ. A tight cold-inducible switch built by coupling thermosensitive transcriptional and proteolytic regulatory parts. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:e137. [PMID: 31750522 PMCID: PMC6868347 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural organisms have evolved intricate regulatory mechanisms that sense and respond to fluctuating environmental temperatures in a heat- or cold-inducible fashion. Unlike dominant heat-inducible switches, very few cold-inducible genetic switches are available in either natural or engineered systems. Moreover, the available cold-inducible switches still have many shortcomings, including high leaky gene expression, small dynamic range (<10-fold) or broad transition temperature (>10°C). To address these problems, a high-performance cold-inducible switch that can tightly control target gene expression is highly desired. Here, we introduce a tight and fast cold-inducible switch that couples two evolved thermosensitive variants, TFts and TEVts, as well as an additional Mycoplasma florum Lon protease (mf-Lon) to effectively turn-off target gene expression via transcriptional and proteolytic mechanisms. We validated the function of the switch in different culture media and various Escherichia coli strains and demonstrated its tightness by regulating two morphogenetic bacterial genes and expressing three heat-unstable recombinant proteins, respectively. Moreover, the additional protease module enabled the cold-inducible switch to actively remove the pre-existing proteins in slow-growing cells. This work establishes a high-performance cold-inducible system for tight and fast control of gene expression which has great potential for basic research, as well as industrial and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zheng
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fankang Meng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100149, China
| | - Zihui Zhu
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weijia Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100149, China
| | - Zhi Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100149, China
| | - Jinchun Chen
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chunbo Lou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100149, China.,College of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Chen
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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22
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Kusuma KD, Payne M, Ung AT, Bottomley AL, Harry EJ. FtsZ as an Antibacterial Target: Status and Guidelines for Progressing This Avenue. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:1279-1294. [PMID: 31268666 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The disturbing increase in the number of bacterial pathogens that are resistant to multiple, or sometimes all, current antibiotics highlights the desperate need to pursue the discovery and development of novel classes of antibacterials. The wealth of knowledge available about the bacterial cell division machinery has aided target-driven approaches to identify new inhibitor compounds. The main division target being pursued is the highly conserved and essential protein FtsZ. Despite very active research on FtsZ inhibitors for several years, this protein is not yet targeted by any commercial antibiotic. Here, we discuss the suitability of FtsZ as an antibacterial target for drug development and review progress achieved in this area. We use hindsight to highlight the gaps that have slowed progress in FtsZ inhibitor development and to suggest guidelines for concluding that FtsZ is actually the target of these molecules, a key missing link in several studies. In moving forward, a multidisciplinary, communicative, and collaborative process, with sharing of research expertise, is critical if we are to succeed.
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23
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Vedyaykin AD, Ponomareva EV, Khodorkovskii MA, Borchsenius SN, Vishnyakov IE. Mechanisms of Bacterial Cell Division. Microbiology (Reading) 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261719030159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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24
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Araújo‐Bazán L, Huecas S, Valle J, Andreu D, Andreu JM. Synthetic developmental regulator MciZ targets FtsZ across
Bacillus
species and inhibits bacterial division. Mol Microbiol 2019; 111:965-980. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas CSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Javier Valle
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
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25
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He X, Ni D, Lu S, Zhang J. Characteristics of Allosteric Proteins, Sites, and Modulators. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1163:107-139. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-8719-7_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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26
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Saeloh D, Tipmanee V, Jim KK, Dekker MP, Bitter W, Voravuthikunchai SP, Wenzel M, Hamoen LW. The novel antibiotic rhodomyrtone traps membrane proteins in vesicles with increased fluidity. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006876. [PMID: 29451901 PMCID: PMC5833292 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The acylphloroglucinol rhodomyrtone is a promising new antibiotic isolated from the rose myrtle Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, a plant used in Asian traditional medicine. While many studies have demonstrated its antibacterial potential in a variety of clinical applications, very little is known about the mechanism of action of rhodomyrtone. Preceding studies have been focused on intracellular targets, but no specific intracellular protein could be confirmed as main target. Using live cell, high-resolution, and electron microscopy we demonstrate that rhodomyrtone causes large membrane invaginations with a dramatic increase in fluidity, which attract a broad range of membrane proteins. Invaginations then form intracellular vesicles, thereby trapping these proteins. Aberrant protein localization impairs several cellular functions, including the respiratory chain and the ATP synthase complex. Being uncharged and devoid of a particular amphipathic structure, rhodomyrtone did not seem to be a typical membrane-inserting molecule. In fact, molecular dynamics simulations showed that instead of inserting into the bilayer, rhodomyrtone transiently binds to phospholipid head groups and causes distortion of lipid packing, providing explanations for membrane fluidization and induction of membrane curvature. Both its transient binding mode and its ability to form protein-trapping membrane vesicles are unique, making it an attractive new antibiotic candidate with a novel mechanism of action. Bacterial antibiotic resistance constitutes a major public healthcare issue and deaths caused by antimicrobial resistance are expected to soon exceed the number of cancer-related fatalities. In order to fight resistance, new antibiotics have to be developed that are not affected by existing microbial resistance strategies. Thus, antibiotics with novel or multiple targets are urgently needed. Rhodomyrtone displays excellent antibacterial activity, has been safely used in traditional Asian medicine for a long time, and resistance against this promising antibiotic candidate could not be detected in multiple passaging experiments. Here we demonstrate that rhodomyrtone possesses a completely novel mechanism of action, which is opposed to that of existing cell envelope-targeting drugs, minimizing the risk of cross-resistance, and in fact rhodomyrtone is highly active against e.g. vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, rhodomyrtone is an extremely interesting compound for further antibacterial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennapa Saeloh
- Excellence Research Laboratory on Natural Products, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Varomyalin Tipmanee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Kin Ki Jim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marien P. Dekker
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilbert Bitter
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Supayang P. Voravuthikunchai
- Excellence Research Laboratory on Natural Products, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Bacterial Cell Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (MW); (LWH)
| | - Leendert W. Hamoen
- Bacterial Cell Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (MW); (LWH)
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27
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Bhat SV, Kamencic B, Körnig A, Shahina Z, Dahms TES. Exposure to Sub-lethal 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Arrests Cell Division and Alters Cell Surface Properties in Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:44. [PMID: 29472899 PMCID: PMC5810288 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a robust, easily adaptable and culturable bacterium in vitro, and a model bacterium for studying the impact of xenobiotics in the environment. We have used correlative atomic force – laser scanning confocal microscopy (AFM-LSCM) to characterize the mechanisms of cellular response to the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). One of the most extensively used herbicides world-wide, 2,4-D is known to cause hazardous effects in diverse non-target organisms. Sub-lethal concentrations of 2,4-D caused DNA damage in E. coli WM1074 during short exposure periods which increased significantly over time. In response to 2,4-D, FtsZ and FtsA relocalized within seconds, coinciding with the complete inhibition of cell septation and cell elongation. Exposure to 2,4-D also resulted in increased activation of the SOS response. Changes to cell division were accompanied by concomitant changes to surface roughness, elasticity and adhesion in a time-dependent manner. This is the first study describing the mechanistic details of 2,4-D at sub-lethal levels in bacteria. Our study suggests that 2,4-D arrests E. coli cell division within seconds after exposure by disrupting the divisome complex, facilitated by dissipation of membrane potential. Over longer exposures, 2,4-D causes filamentation as a result of an SOS response to oxidative stress induced DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya V Bhat
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Belma Kamencic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - Zinnat Shahina
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Tanya E S Dahms
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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28
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Bisson-Filho AW, Hsu YP, Squyres GR, Kuru E, Wu F, Jukes C, Sun Y, Dekker C, Holden S, VanNieuwenhze MS, Brun YV, Garner EC. Treadmilling by FtsZ filaments drives peptidoglycan synthesis and bacterial cell division. Science 2017; 355:739-743. [PMID: 28209898 DOI: 10.1126/science.aak9973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 377] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism by which bacteria divide is not well understood. Cell division is mediated by filaments of FtsZ and FtsA (FtsAZ) that recruit septal peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzymes to the division site. To understand how these components coordinate to divide cells, we visualized their movements relative to the dynamics of cell wall synthesis during cytokinesis. We found that the division septum was built at discrete sites that moved around the division plane. FtsAZ filaments treadmilled circumferentially around the division ring and drove the motions of the peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzymes. The FtsZ treadmilling rate controlled both the rate of peptidoglycan synthesis and cell division. Thus, FtsZ treadmilling guides the progressive insertion of new cell wall by building increasingly smaller concentric rings of peptidoglycan to divide the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre W Bisson-Filho
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yen-Pang Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Georgia R Squyres
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Erkin Kuru
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Fabai Wu
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
| | - Calum Jukes
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
| | - Yingjie Sun
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
| | - Seamus Holden
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK.
| | - Michael S VanNieuwenhze
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yves V Brun
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Ethan C Garner
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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29
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Sridevi D, Sudhakar KU, Ananthathatmula R, Nankar RP, Doble M. Mutation at G103 of MtbFtsZ Altered their Sensitivity to Coumarins. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:578. [PMID: 28428773 PMCID: PMC5382161 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Coumarins are natural polyphenol lactones comprising of fused rings of benzene and α-pyrone. The current study demonstrates the inhibitory effect of coumarins with various substitutions on Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2 155. We also demonstrate the effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum) extract containing ellagic acid, on M. smegmatis as well as their affect on MtbFtsZ (FtsZ from Mycobacterium tuberculosis). The ellagic acid extracts from pomegranate peels inhibit mycobacteria with a MIC of 25 μM and 0.3 to 3.5 mg/mL, respectively, but failed to inhibit the polymerization of MtbFtsZ. However, the coumarins were shown to inhibit the polymerization and GTPase activity of the protein as well as have an inhibitory affect on M. smegmatis mc2 155. Docking of the most active coumarin (7-Dimethyl-4-methyl coumarin with MIC of 38.7 μM) to the GTP binding site suggests that it interacted with the G103 residue. Based on the docking results two mutants of varying activity (G103S and G103A) were constructed to elucidate the interaction of MtbFtsZ and coumarins. Mutation of G103 with Serine (a bulky group) results in an inactive mutant and substitution with alanine produces a variant that retains most of the activity of the wild type. There is a disruption of the protofilament formation of the MtbFtsZ upon interaction with coumarins as demonstrated by TEM. The coumarins increase the length of Mycobacteria five times and MtbFtsZ localization is disturbed. The mutant proteins altered the GTPase and polymerization activity of coumarins as compared to wild type protein. The results here support that coumarins inhibit proliferation of Mycobacteria by targeting the assembly of MtbFtsZ and provide the possible binding site of coumarins on MtbFtsZ. This study may aid in the design of natural products as anti-mycobacterial agents. The currently reported GTP analogs for FtsZ are toxic to the human cell lines; natural coumarins targeting the GTP binding site of MtbFtsZ may hold promise as an important drug lead for tuberculosis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duggirala Sridevi
- Bioengineering and Drug Design Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, India
| | - Karpagam U Sudhakar
- Bioengineering and Drug Design Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, India
| | - Ragamanvitha Ananthathatmula
- Bioengineering and Drug Design Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, India
| | - Rakesh P Nankar
- Bioengineering and Drug Design Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, India
| | - Mukesh Doble
- Bioengineering and Drug Design Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, India
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30
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Saeloh D, Wenzel M, Rungrotmongkol T, Hamoen LW, Tipmanee V, Voravuthikunchai SP. Effects of rhodomyrtone on Gram-positive bacterial tubulin homologue FtsZ. PeerJ 2017; 5:e2962. [PMID: 28168121 PMCID: PMC5292029 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodomyrtone, a natural antimicrobial compound, displays potent activity against many Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, comparable to last-defence antibiotics including vancomycin and daptomycin. Our previous studies pointed towards effects of rhodomyrtone on the bacterial membrane and cell wall. In addition, a recent molecular docking study suggested that the compound could competitively bind to the main bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. In this study, we applied a computational approach (in silico), in vitro, and in vivo experiments to investigate molecular interactions of rhodomyrtone with FtsZ. Using molecular simulation, FtsZ conformational changes were observed in both (S)- and (R)-rhodomyrtone binding states, compared with the three natural states of FtsZ (ligand-free, GDP-, and GTP-binding states). Calculations of free binding energy showed a higher affinity of FtsZ to (S)-rhodomyrtone (−35.92 ± 0.36 kcal mol−1) than the GDP substrate (−23.47 ± 0.25 kcal mol−1) while less affinity was observed in the case of (R)-rhodomyrtone (−18.11 ± 0.11 kcal mol−1). In vitro experiments further revealed that rhodomyrtone reduced FtsZ polymerization by 36% and inhibited GTPase activity by up to 45%. However, the compound had no effect on FtsZ localization in Bacillus subtilis at inhibitory concentrations and cells also did not elongate after treatment. Higher concentrations of rhodomyrtone did affect localization of FtsZ and also affected localization of its membrane anchor proteins FtsA and SepF, showing that the compound did not specifically inhibit FtsZ but rather impaired multiple divisome proteins. Furthermore, a number of cells adopted a bean-like shape suggesting that rhodomyrtone possibly possesses further targets involved in cell envelope synthesis and/or maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennapa Saeloh
- Excellence Research Laboratory on Natural Products, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Bacterial Cell Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam , Netherlands
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Center of Innovative Nanotechnology, Chulalongkorn University, Bongkok, Thailand
| | - Leendert Willem Hamoen
- Bacterial Cell Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam , Netherlands
| | - Varomyalin Tipmanee
- Excellence Research Laboratory on Natural Products, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand; Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand
| | - Supayang Piyawan Voravuthikunchai
- Excellence Research Laboratory on Natural Products, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand
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31
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Artola M, Ruíz-Avila LB, Ramírez-Aportela E, Martínez RF, Araujo-Bazán L, Vázquez-Villa H, Martín-Fontecha M, Oliva MA, Martín-Galiano AJ, Chacón P, López-Rodríguez ML, Andreu JM, Huecas S. The structural assembly switch of cell division protein FtsZ probed with fluorescent allosteric inhibitors. Chem Sci 2017; 8:1525-1534. [PMID: 28616148 PMCID: PMC5460597 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc03792e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
FtsZ is a widely conserved tubulin-like GTPase that directs bacterial cell division and a new target for antibiotic discovery. This protein assembly machine cooperatively polymerizes forming single-stranded filaments, by means of self-switching between inactive and actively associating monomer conformations. The structural switch mechanism was proposed to involve a movement of the C-terminal and N-terminal FtsZ domains, opening a cleft between them, allosterically coupled to the formation of a tight association interface between consecutive subunits along the filament. The effective antibacterial benzamide PC190723 binds into the open interdomain cleft and stabilizes FtsZ filaments, thus impairing correct formation of the FtsZ ring for cell division. We have designed fluorescent analogs of PC190723 to probe the FtsZ structural assembly switch. Among them, nitrobenzoxadiazole probes specifically bind to assembled FtsZ rather than to monomers. Probes with several spacer lengths between the fluorophore and benzamide moieties suggest a binding site extension along the interdomain cleft. These probes label FtsZ rings of live Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, without apparently modifying normal cell morphology and growth, but at high concentrations they induce impaired bacterial division phenotypes typical of benzamide antibacterials. During the FtsZ assembly-disassembly process, the fluorescence anisotropy of the probes changes upon binding and dissociating from FtsZ, thus reporting open and closed FtsZ interdomain clefts. Our results demonstrate the structural mechanism of the FtsZ assembly switch, and suggest that the probes bind into the open clefts in cellular FtsZ polymers preferably to unassembled FtsZ in the bacterial cytosol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Artola
- Dept. Química Orgánica I , Facultad de Ciencias Químicas , UCM , 28040 Madrid , Spain
| | - Laura B Ruíz-Avila
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
| | - Erney Ramírez-Aportela
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano , CSIC , Serrano 119 , 20006 Madrid , Spain
| | - R Fernando Martínez
- Dept. Química Orgánica I , Facultad de Ciencias Químicas , UCM , 28040 Madrid , Spain
| | - Lidia Araujo-Bazán
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
| | - Henar Vázquez-Villa
- Dept. Química Orgánica I , Facultad de Ciencias Químicas , UCM , 28040 Madrid , Spain
| | - Mar Martín-Fontecha
- Dept. Química Orgánica I , Facultad de Ciencias Químicas , UCM , 28040 Madrid , Spain
| | - María A Oliva
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
| | | | - Pablo Chacón
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano , CSIC , Serrano 119 , 20006 Madrid , Spain
| | | | - José M Andreu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
| | - Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas , CSIC , Ramiro de Maeztu 9 , 28040 Madrid , Spain . ;
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