Targeting iron assimilation to develop new antibacterials.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Since the first application of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, the development and spread of resistance has been a persistent threat. An ever evolving pipeline of next-generation therapeutics is required for modern medicine to remain one step ahead of pathogens.

Areas covered

This review describes recent efforts to develop drugs that interrupt the assimilation of iron by bacteria: a process that is vital to cellular homeostasis and is not currently targeted by antibiotics used in the clinic. This review also covers the mechanisms by which bacteria acquire iron for their environment, and details efforts to intervene in these processes, using small molecule inhibitors that target key steps in these pathways, with a special emphasis on recent advances pu

SUBMITTER: Foley TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3434712 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature