title: Phosphorylated hydroxyethylamines as novel inhibitors of the bacterial cell wall biosynthesis enzymes MurC to MurF.
abstract: Enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan represent important targets for development of new antibacterial drugs. Among them, Mur ligases (MurC to MurF) catalyze the formation of the final cytoplasmic precursor UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide from UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid. We present the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of phosphorylated hydroxyethylamines as new type of small-molecule inhibitors of Mur ligases. We show that the phosphate group attached to the hydroxyl moiety of the hydroxyethylamine core is essential for good inhibitory activity. The IC(50) values of these inhibitors were in the micromolar range, which makes them a promising starting point for the development of multiple inhibitors of Mur ligases as potential antibacterial agents. In addition, 1-(4-methoxyphenylsulfonamido)-3-morpholinopropan-2-yl dihydrogen phosphate 7a was discovered as one of the best inhibitors of MurE described so far.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Matej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sova
authors.forename: Andreja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovac
authors.forename: Samo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hrast
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blanot
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gobec
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001665:Binding Sites; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D005021:Ethylamines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D014538:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylmuramic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005021:Ethylamines; D014538:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylmuramic Acid; C002225:UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid pentapeptide; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C060628:UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanyl-D-glutamyllysine-D-alanyl-D-alanine ligase; C023229:UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-alanine synthetase