Identification of an antibiotic from an HTS targeting EF-Tu:tRNA interaction: a prospective topical treatment for MRSA skin infections.

ABSTRACT: Because of the urgent need for new antibiotics to treat drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, we employed an assay that rapidly screens large quantities of compounds for their ability to interfere with bacterial protein synthesis, in particular, the delivery of amino acids to the ribosome via tRNA and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu). We have identified a drug lead, named MGC-10, which kills Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with a MIC of 6 µM, while being harmless to mammalian cells in vitro in that concentration range. The antibacterial activity of MGC-10 was broad against over 50 strains of antibiotic-resistant samples obtained from hospital infections, where MGC-10 inhibited all tested strains of MRSA. Extensive selection and

SUBMITTER: Mandecki W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11784183 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature