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Guo T, Chen Y, Chen W, Semple SJ, Gu X, Polyak SW, Sun G, Venter H, Ma S. Design and synthesis of benzochromene derivatives as AcrB inhibitors for the reversal of bacterial multidrug resistance. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 249:115148. [PMID: 36709649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A series of novel benzo[h]chromene compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity as AcrB inhibitors. The compounds were assessed for their ability to potentiate the effect of antibiotics. Compounds with antibiotic-potentiating effects were then evaluated for inhibition of Nile Red efflux, and for off-target effects including activity on the outer and inner bacterial membranes and toxicity. Six compounds were identified to reduce the MIC values of at least one of the tested antibiotics by at least 4-fold, and further reduced the MICs in the presence of a membrane permeabilizer. The identified compounds were also able to inhibit Nile Red efflux at concentrations between 50 μM and 200 μM. The compounds did not disrupt the bacterial outer membrane nor display toxicity in a nematode model (Caenorhabditis elegans). The 4-methoxyphenoxy)propoxy derivative compound G6 possessed the most potent antibacterial potentiation with erythromycin by 8-fold even without the presence of a membrane permeabilizer. Furthermore, H6, G6, G10 and G11 completely abolished the Nile Red efflux at a concentration of 50 μM. The 3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromen-5-yl)(morpholino)methanone core appears to be a promising chemical skeleton to be further studied in the discovery of more putative AcrB inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Weijin Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Susan J Semple
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Xiaotong Gu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Steven W Polyak
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Guanglin Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Henrietta Venter
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, 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, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, China.
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2
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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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3
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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] [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
- *Correspondence: Henrietta Venter,
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4
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Juskewitz E, Mishchenko E, Dubey VK, Jenssen M, Jakubec M, Rainsford P, Isaksson J, Andersen JH, Ericson JU. Lulworthinone: In Vitro Mode of Action Investigation of an Antibacterial Dimeric Naphthopyrone Isolated from a Marine Fungus. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20050277. [PMID: 35621928 PMCID: PMC9147123 DOI: 10.3390/md20050277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment options for infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are rendered ineffective, and drug alternatives are needed—either from new chemical classes or drugs with new modes of action. Historically, natural products have been important contributors to drug discovery. In a recent study, the dimeric naphthopyrone lulworthinone produced by an obligate marine fungus in the family Lulworthiaceae was discovered. The observed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including several clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates, prompted this follow-up mode of action investigation. This paper aimed to characterize the antibacterial mode of action (MOA) of lulworthinone by combining in vitro assays, NMR experiments and microscopy. The results point to a MOA targeting the bacterial membrane, leading to improper cell division. Treatment with lulworthinone induced an upregulation of genes responding to cell envelope stress in Bacillus subtilis. Analysis of the membrane integrity and membrane potential indicated that lulworthinone targets the bacterial membrane without destroying it. This was supported by NMR experiments using artificial lipid bilayers. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that lulworthinone affects cell morphology and impedes the localization of the cell division protein FtsZ. Surface plasmon resonance and dynamic light scattering assays showed that this activity is linked with the compound‘s ability to form colloidal aggregates. Antibacterial agents acting at cell membranes are of special interest, as the development of bacterial resistance to such compounds is deemed more difficult to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Juskewitz
- Research Group for Host Microbe Interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (E.M.); (V.K.D.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (J.U.E.)
| | - Ekaterina Mishchenko
- Research Group for Host Microbe Interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (E.M.); (V.K.D.)
| | - Vishesh K. Dubey
- Research Group for Host Microbe Interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (E.M.); (V.K.D.)
| | - Marte Jenssen
- Marbio, The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (M.J.); (J.H.A.)
| | - Martin Jakubec
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (M.J.); (P.R.); (J.I.)
| | - Philip Rainsford
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (M.J.); (P.R.); (J.I.)
| | - Johan Isaksson
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (M.J.); (P.R.); (J.I.)
| | - Jeanette H. Andersen
- Marbio, The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (M.J.); (J.H.A.)
| | - Johanna U. Ericson
- Research Group for Host Microbe Interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; (E.M.); (V.K.D.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (J.U.E.)
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5
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Equisetin Restores Colistin Sensitivity against Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101263. [PMID: 34680843 PMCID: PMC8532683 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The overuse of antibiotics and the scarcity of new drugs have led to a serious antimicrobial resistance crisis, especially for multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. In the present study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of a marine antibiotic equisetin in combination with colistin against Gram-negative bacteria and explored the mechanisms of synergistic activity. We tested the synergistic effect of equisetin in combination with colistin on 23 clinical mcr-1 positive isolates and found that 4 µg/mL equisetin combined with 1 µg/mL colistin showed 100% inhibition. Consistently, equisetin restored the sensitivity of 10 species of mcr-1 positive Gram-negative bacteria to colistin. The combination of equisetin and colistin quickly killed 99.9% bacteria in one hour in time-kill assays. We found that colistin promoted intracellular accumulation of equisetin in colistin-resistant E. coli based on LC-MS/MS analysis. Interestingly, equisetin boosted ROS accumulation in E. coli in the presence of colistin. Moreover, we found that equisetin and colistin lost the synergistic effect in two LPS-deficient A. baumannii strains. These findings suggest that colistin destroys the hydrophobic barrier of Gram-negative bacteria, facilitating equisetin to enter the cell and exert its antibacterial effect. Lastly, equisetin restored the activity of colistin in a G. mellonella larvae infection model. Collectively, these results reveal that equisetin can potentiate colistin activity against MDR Gram-negative bacteria including colistin-resistant strains, providing an alternative approach to address Gram-negative pathogens associated with infections in clinics.
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6
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Kumar M, Mathur T, Barman TK, Chaira T, Kumar R, Joshi V, Pandya M, Sharma L, Fujii K, Bandgar M, Jadhav B, Bambal R, Upadhyay D, Masuda N, Verma AK, Bhatnagar PK. Novel FtsZ inhibitor with potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:2867-2874. [PMID: 34383913 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES FtsZ is an essential bacterial protein and an unexplored target for the development of antibacterial drugs. The development of a novel inhibitor targeting FtsZ offers a potential opportunity to combat drug resistance. DS01750413, a new derivative of PC190723, is a novel FtsZ inhibitor with improved in vitro and in vivo activity. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of DS01750413 against Staphylococcus spp., including MRSA, in in vitro and in vivo models. METHODS In vitro activities of DS01750413 and standard-of-care antibiotics were evaluated against clinical isolates of Gram-positive pathogens. The in vivo efficacy was evaluated in a murine systemic infection model caused by MRSA. RESULTS DS01750413 showed potent in vitro activity against MRSA clinical isolates with MIC ranges of 0.5-1 mg/L and also demonstrated concentration-dependent bactericidal killing. In the murine bacteraemia infection model of MRSA, treatment with DS01750413 resulted in prolonged survival of animals compared with placebo-treated animals and exhibited a significant reduction in the bacterial load in liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys. CONCLUSIONS DS01750413 showed encouraging in vitro and in vivo activity against MRSA. As a novel chemical class, DS01750413 has the potential to become clinically viable antibiotics to address the drug resistance problem by its unique novel targeting mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Tarun Mathur
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Tarani Kanta Barman
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Tridib Chaira
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Ram Kumar
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Vattan Joshi
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Manisha Pandya
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Lalima Sharma
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Kunihiko Fujii
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Mahadev Bandgar
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Balasaheb Jadhav
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Ramesh Bambal
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Dilip Upadhyay
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Nobuhisa Masuda
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Ashwani Kumar Verma
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
| | - Pradip Kumar Bhatnagar
- Daiichi Sankyo India Pharma Private Limited, Village Sarhaul, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India
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7
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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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