An Inhibitor of Ftsz with Potent and Selective Anti-Staphylococcal Activity.
Haydon, D.J., Stokes, N.R., Ure, R., Galbraith, G., Bennett, J.M., Brown, D.R., Baker, P.J., Barynin, V.V., Rice, D.W., Sedelnikova, S.E., Heal, J.R., Sheridan, J.M., Aiwale, S.T., Chauhan, P.K., Srivastava, A., Taneja, A., Collins, I., Errington, J., Czaplewski, L.G.(2008) Science 321: 1673
- PubMed: 18801997 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1159961
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2VXY - PubMed Abstract: 
FtsZ is an essential bacterial guanosine triphosphatase and homolog of mammalian beta-tubulin that polymerizes and assembles into a ring to initiate cell division. We have created a class of small synthetic antibacterials, exemplified by PC190723, which inhibits FtsZ and prevents cell division. PC190723 has potent and selective in vitro bactericidal activity against staphylococci, including methicillin- and multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The putative inhibitor-binding site of PC190723 was mapped to a region of FtsZ that is analogous to the Taxol-binding site of tubulin. PC190723 was efficacious in an in vivo model of infection, curing mice infected with a lethal dose of S. aureus. The data validate FtsZ as a target for antibacterial intervention and identify PC190723 as suitable for optimization into a new anti-staphylococcal therapy.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Prolysis, Begbroke Science Park, Oxfordshire OX5 1PF, UK.