Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and AMXT 1501 inhibit capsule biosynthesis in pneumococci.

ABSTRACT: Polyamines are small cationic molecules that have been linked to various cellular processes including replication, translation, stress response and recently, capsule regulation in Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn, pneumococcus). Pneumococcal-associated diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis are some of the leading causes of death worldwide and capsule remains the principal virulence factor of this versatile pathogen. α-Difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) is an irreversible inhibitor of the polyamine biosynthesis pathway catalyzed by ornithine decarboxylase and has a long history in modulating cell growth, polyamine levels, and disease outcomes in eukaryotic systems. Recent evidence shows that DFMO can also target arginine decarboxylation. Interestingly, DFMO-treated cells often escape

SUBMITTER: Ayoola MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9276676 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature