Skip to main content
Article
Antibiotic Adjuvant Activity Revealed in a Photoaffinity Approach to Determine the Molecular Target of Antipyocyanin Compounds
ACS Infectious Diseases
  • Zinan Zhang, Princeton University
  • Dominic Ortega, San Jose State University
  • Anthony Rush, Stanford University
  • Lauren R. Blankenship, San Jose State University
  • Zi Jun Cheng, San Jose State University
  • Rebecca E. Moore, San Jose State University
  • Minh L.N. Tran, San Jose State University
  • Lucero G. Sandoval, San Jose State University
  • Kareem Aboulhosn, San Jose State University
  • Seiichiro Watanabe, San Jose State University
  • Kendra S. Cortez, San Jose State University
  • David H. Perlman, Princeton University
  • Martin F. Semmelhack, Princeton University
  • Laura C. Miller Conrad, San Jose State University
Publication Date
3-12-2021
Document Type
Article
DOI
10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00160
Abstract

Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are a looming threat to public health. New treatment strategies are needed to combat this pathogen, for example, by blocking the production of virulence factors like pyocyanin. A photoaffinity analogue of an antipyocyanin compound was developed to interrogate the inhibitor's molecular mechanism of action. While we sought to develop antivirulence inhibitors, the proteomics results suggested that the compounds had antibiotic adjuvant activity. Unexpectedly, we found that these compounds amplify the bactericidal activity of colistin, a well-characterized antibiotic, suggesting they may represent a first-in-class antibiotic adjuvant therapy. Analogues have the potential not only to widen the therapeutic index of cationic antimicrobial peptides like colistin, but also to be effective against colistin-resistant strains, strengthening our arsenal to combat P. aeruginosa infections.

Keywords
  • adjuvant,
  • ArnA,
  • colistin,
  • PA14_30820,
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Citation Information
Zinan Zhang, Dominic Ortega, Anthony Rush, Lauren R. Blankenship, et al.. "Antibiotic Adjuvant Activity Revealed in a Photoaffinity Approach to Determine the Molecular Target of Antipyocyanin Compounds" ACS Infectious Diseases Vol. 7 Iss. 3 (2021) p. 535 - 543
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/laura_millerconrad/11/