Structure-based discovery of a small-molecule inhibitor of methicillin-resistant

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2020

Keywords

JGM, JAXCC

JAX Source

J Biol Chem 2020 May 1; 295(18):5944-5959

Volume

295

Issue

18

First Page

5944

Last Page

5959

ISSN

1083-351X

PMID

32179646

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.ra120.012697

Abstract

The rapid emergence and dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains poses a major threat to public health. MRSA possesses an arsenal of secreted host-damaging virulence factors that mediate pathogenicity and blunt immune defenses. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and α-toxin are exotoxins that create lytic pores in the host cell membrane. They are recognized as being important for the development of invasive MRSA infections and are thus potential targets for antivirulence therapies. Here, we report the high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of both PVL and α-toxin in their soluble, monomeric, and oligomeric membrane-inserted pore states in complex with n-tetradecylphosphocholine (C14PC). The structures revealed two evolutionarily conserved phosphatidylcholine-binding mechanisms and their roles in modulating host cell attachment, oligomer assembly, and membrane perforation. Moreover, we demonstrate that the soluble C14PC compound protects primary human immune cells in vitro against cytolysis by PVL and α-toxin and hence may serve as the basis for the development of an antivirulence agent for managing MRSA infections.

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