Oligochlorophens are potent inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Sep;54(9):3988-90. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00067-10. Epub 2010 Jun 21.

Abstract

Bacterial cytoskeletal proteins are an emerging set of targets for antibiotic development. This paper describes oligochlorophen analogs based on the monomer 4-chloro-2,6-dimethylphenol as antimicrobial agents against Bacillus anthracis. The most potent analogs have a MIC of 160 to 320 nM against B. anthracis and may target the cytoskeletal protein FtsZ. B. anthracis develops resistance to the oligochlorophens at a rate of 4.34 x 10(-10) per generation, which is approximately 10-fold lower than that of commercial antibiotics used to treat this human pathogen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacillus anthracis / drug effects*
  • Chlorophenols / chemistry
  • Chlorophenols / pharmacology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Chlorophenols