GrgA as a potential target of selective antichlamydials

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 1;14(3):e0212874. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212874. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Chlamydia is a common pathogen that can causes serious complications in the reproductive system and eyes. Lack of vaccine and other effective prophylactic measures coupled with the largely asymptomatic nature and unrare clinical treatment failure calls for development of new antichlamydials, particularly selective antichlamydials without adverse effects on humans and the beneficial microbiota. We previously reported that benzal-N-acylhydrazones (BAH) can inhibit chlamydiae without detectable adverse effects on host cells and beneficial lactobacilli that dominate the human vaginal microbiota among reproductive-age women. However, the antichlamydial mechanism of BAH is not known. Whereas 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (i.e., SNP1-4) were identified in a rare Chlamydia variant with a low level of BAH resistance, termed MCR, previous studies failed to establish a causal effect of any particular SNP(s). In the present work, we performed recombination to segregate the four SNPs. Susceptibility tests indicate that the R51G GrgA allele is both necessary and sufficient for the low level of BAH resistance. Thus, the Chlamydia-specific transcription factor GrgA either is a direct target of BAH or regulates BAH susceptibility. We further confirm an extremely low rate of BAH resistance in Chlamydia. Our findings warrant exploration of GrgA as a therapeutic and prophylactic target for chlamydial infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Benzylidene Compounds / pharmacology
  • Benzylidene Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line
  • Chlamydia Infections / drug therapy
  • Chlamydia Infections / microbiology
  • Chlamydia muridarum / drug effects
  • Chlamydia muridarum / genetics*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hydrazones / pharmacology
  • Hydrazones / therapeutic use
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Benzylidene Compounds
  • Hydrazones
  • Transcription Factors