2 research outputs found
Synthetic Calanolides with Bactericidal Activity against Replicating and Nonreplicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis
It is urgent to introduce new drugs
for tuberculosis to shorten
the prolonged course of treatment and control drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). One strategy toward this goal is to develop antibiotics that eradicate
both replicating (R) and nonreplicating (NR) Mtb. Naturally occurring (+)-calanolide A was active against R-Mtb. The present report details the design, synthesis,
antimycobacterial activities, and structure–activity relationships
of synthetic calanolides. We identified potent dual-active nitro-containing
calanolides with minimal in vitro toxicity that were cidal to axenic Mtb and Mtb in human
macrophages, while sparing Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and
yeast. Two of the nitrobenzofuran-containing lead compounds were found
to be genotoxic to mammalian cells. Although genotoxicity precluded
clinical progression, the profound, selective mycobactericidal activity
of these calanolides will be useful in identifying pathways for killing
both R- and NR-Mtb, as well as in further
structure-based design of more effective and drug-like antimycobacterial
agents
Identification of a Mycothiol-Dependent Nitroreductase from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>
The success of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (Mtb) as a pathogen depends on
the redundant and complex mechanisms it has evolved for resisting
nitrosative and oxidative stresses inflicted by host immunity. Improving
our understanding of these defense pathways can reveal vulnerable
points in Mtb pathogenesis. In this study, we combined genetic, structural,
computational, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to identify
a novel enzyme class represented by Rv2466c. We show that Rv2466c
is a mycothiol-dependent nitroreductase of Mtb and can reduce the
nitro group of a novel mycobactericidal compound using mycothiol as
a cofactor. In addition to its function as a nitroreductase, Rv2466c
confers partial protection to menadione stress