title: Bacterial transglycosylase inhibitors.
abstract: The spread of bacterial resistance to known antibiotics has inspired interest in previously under-exploited drug targets. The transglycosylation reaction remains a 'black box' in the generally well-studied process of bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis, which is a very attractive target for chemotherapeutic intervention. Here, we summarize recent progress in the study of bacterial transglycosylases and the compounds that inhibit them. The transglycosylation reaction is readily targeted by several different classes of natural products, implying that it should be possible to develop drugs that inhibit this process once efficient high-throughput screens and appropriate compound libraries have been developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Bohdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ostash
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase