Inhibiting dihydrodipicolinate synthase across species: towards specificity for pathogens?
Mitsakos V, Dobson RC, Pearce FG, Devenish SR, Evans GL, Burgess BR, Perugini MA, Gerrard JA, Hutton CA.
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) is a key enzyme in lysine biosynthesis and an important antibiotic target. The specificity of a range of heterocyclic product analogues against DHDPS from three pathogenic species, Bacillus anthracis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and the evolutionarily related N-acetylneuraminate lyase, has been determined. The results suggest that the development of species-specific inhibitors of DHDPS as potential antibacterials is achievable.