Peptide Inhibitors Targeting the Neisseria gonorrhoeae Pivotal Anaerobic Respiration Factor AniA.

ABSTRACT: Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea, which is highly prevalent worldwide and has a major impact on reproductive and neonatal health. The superbug status of N. gonorrhoeae necessitates the development of drugs with different mechanisms of action. Here, we focused on targeting the nitrite reductase AniA, which is a pivotal component of N. gonorrhoeae anaerobic respiration and biofilm formation. Our studies showed that gonococci expressing AniA containing the altered catalytic residues D137A and H280A failed to grow under anaerobic conditions, demonstrating that the nitrite reductase function is essential. To facilitate the pharmacological targeting of AniA, new crystal structures of AniA were refined to 1.90-Å and 2.35-Å resolutions,

SUBMITTER: Sikora AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5527597 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature