Discovery of cahuitamycins as biofilm inhibitors derived from a convergent biosynthetic pathway

Nat Commun. 2016 Feb 16:7:10710. doi: 10.1038/ncomms10710.

Abstract

Pathogenic microorganisms often have the ability to attach to a surface, building a complex matrix where they colonize to form a biofilm. This cellular superstructure can display increased resistance to antibiotics and cause serious, persistent health problems in humans. Here we describe a high-throughput in vitro screen to identify inhibitors of Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms using a library of natural product extracts derived from marine microbes. Analysis of extracts derived from Streptomyces gandocaensis results in the discovery of three peptidic metabolites (cahuitamycins A-C), with cahuitamycin C being the most effective inhibitor (IC50=14.5 μM). Biosynthesis of cahuitamycin C proceeds via a convergent biosynthetic pathway, with one of the steps apparently being catalysed by an unlinked gene encoding a 6-methylsalicylate synthase. Efforts to assess starter unit diversification through selective mutasynthesis lead to production of unnatural analogues cahuitamycins D and E of increased potency (IC50=8.4 and 10.5 μM).

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / physiology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / biosynthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Biosynthetic Pathways
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Oligopeptides / biosynthesis
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Streptomyces

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Oligopeptides
  • cahuitamycin A protein, Streptomyces gandocaensis
  • cahuitamycin B protein, Streptomyces gandocaensis
  • cahuitamycin C protein, Streptomyces gandocaensis