title: Exometabolome analysis identifies pyruvate dehydrogenase as a target for the antibiotic triphenylbismuthdichloride in multiresistant bacterial pathogens.
abstract: The desperate need for new therapeutics against notoriously antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a quest for novel antibacterial target structures and compounds. Moreover, defining targets and modes of action of new antimicrobial compounds remains a major challenge with standard technologies. Here we characterize the antibacterial properties of triphenylbismuthdichloride (TPBC), which has recently been successfully used against device-associated infections. We demonstrate that TPBC has potent antimicrobial activity against many bacterial pathogens. Using an exometabolome profiling approach, a unique TPBC-mediated change in the metabolites of Staphylococcus aureus was identified, indicating that TPBC blocks bacterial pyruvate catabolism. Enzymatic studies showed that TPBC is a highly efficient, uncompetitive inhibitor of the bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Our study demonstrates that metabolomics approaches can offer new avenues for studying the modes of action of antimicrobial compounds, and it indicates that inhibition of the bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex may represent a promising strategy for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Microbiology Division, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Birkenstock
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liebeke
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Winstel
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krismer
authors.forename: Cordula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gekeler
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Niemiec
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bisswanger
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lalk
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peschel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D055442:Metabolome; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D013730:Terphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex; D013730:Terphenyl Compounds; C570676:triphenylbismuthdichloride