title: Antibacterial action of quinolones: from target to network.
abstract: Quinolones are widely used broad-spectrum antibacterials with incomplete elucidated mechanism of action. Here, molecular basis for the antibacterial action of quinolones, from target to network, is fully discussed and updated. Quinolones trap DNA gyrase or topoisomerase IV to form reversible drug-enzyme-DNA cleavage complexes, resulting in bacteriostasis. Cell death arises from chromosome fragmentation in protein synthesis-dependent or -independent pathways according to distinguished quinolone structures. In the former pathway, irreversible oxidative DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species kills bacteria eventually. Toxin-antitoxin mazEF is triggered as an additional lethal action. Bacteria survive and develop resistance by SOS and other stress responses. Enlarged knowledges of quinolone actions and bacterial response will provide new targets for drug design and approaches to prevent bacterial resistance.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
authors.forename: Guyue
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Haihong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Menghong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Zhenli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zonghui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D027081:DNA Gyrase / Q000378:metabolism; D027101:DNA Topoisomerase IV / Q000378:metabolism; D015363:Quinolones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015363:Quinolones; D027101:DNA Topoisomerase IV; D027081:DNA Gyrase
keywords: Bacterial response; Bacteriostatic action; Crystal structure; Lethal action; Primary target