This paper showed that FtsZ, a guanosine triphosphatase involved in bacterial cell division, is a new target for overcoming methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. The authors showed that the FtsZ-specific inhibitor PC190723 acts synergistically with a β-lactam antibiotic to reduce infection in a mouse model of MRSA; these effects were due to the concomitant delocalization of FtsZ and the antibiotic target. Although mutations that conferred resistance to PC190723 were identified, combining PC190723 with a β-lactam antibiotic reduced the frequency and virulence of the MRSA mutants.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Tan, C. M. et al. Restoring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics. Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 126ra35 (2012)Article
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Harrison, C. Overcoming MRSA resistance. Nat Rev Drug Discov 11, 354 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3742
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3742