Lack of Specificity of Phenotypic Screens for Inhibitors of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis FAS-II System

Abstract

Phenotypic screening of inhibitors of the essential Mycobacterium tuberculosis FAS-II dehydratase HadAB led to the identification of GSK3011724A, a compound previously reported to inhibit the condensation step of FAS-II. Whole-cell-based and cell-free assays confirmed the lack of activity of GSK3011724A against the dehydratase despite evidence of cross-resistance between GSK3011724A and HadAB inhibitors. The nature of the resistance mechanisms is suggestive of alterations in the FAS-II interactome reducing access of GSK3011724A to KasA.

Keywords: (3R)-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase; FAS-II; Mycobacterium; drug development; mycolic acids; phenotypic screening; tuberculosis; β-ketoacyl synthase.