The enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase InhA of M. tuberculosis is an attractive, validated target for anti-tuberculosis drug development. Moreover, direct inhibitors of InhA remain effective against InhA variants with mutations associated with isoniazid resistance, offering the potential for activity against MDR isolates. Here, structure based virtual screening supported by biological assays was applied to identify novel InhA inhibitors as potential antituberculosis agents. High-speed Glide SP docking was initially performed against two conformations of InhA differing in the orientation of the active site Tyr158. The resulting hits were filtered for drug-likeness based on Lipinski's rule and avoidance of PAINS-like properties, and finally subjected to Glide XP docking to improve accuracy. Sixteen compounds were identified and selected for in vitro biological assays, of which two (compounds 1 and 7) showed MIC of 12.5 and 25 µg/ml against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, respectively. Inhibition assays against purified recombinant InhA determined IC50 values for these compounds of 0.38 and 0.22 µM, respectively. A crystal structure of the most potent compound, compound 7, bound to InhA revealed the inhibitor to occupy a hydrophobic pocket implicated in binding the aliphatic portions of InhA substrates but distant from the NADH cofactor, i.e. in a site distinct from those occupied by the great majority of known InhA inhibitors. This compound provides an attractive starting template for ligand optimization aimed at discovery of new and effective compounds against M. tuberculosis that act by targeting InhA.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA gyrase manipulates the DNA topology using controlled breakage and religation of DNA driven by ATP hydrolysis. DNA gyrase has been validated as the enzyme target of fluoroquinolones (FQs), second-line antibiotics used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Mutations around the DNA gyrase DNA-binding site result in the emergence of FQ resistance in M. tuberculosis; inhibition of DNA gyrase ATPase activity is one strategy to overcome this. Here, virtual screening, subsequently validated by biological assays, was applied to select candidate inhibitors of the M. tuberculosis DNA gyrase ATPase activity from the Specs compound library (). Thirty compounds were identified and selected as hits for in vitro biological assays, of which two compounds, G24 and G26, inhibited the growth of M. tuberculosis H37Rv with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 12.5 μg/mL. The two compounds inhibited DNA gyrase ATPase activity with IC50 values of 2.69 and 2.46 μM, respectively, suggesting this to be the likely basis of their antitubercular activity. Models of complexes of compounds G24 and G26 bound to the M. tuberculosis DNA gyrase ATP-binding site, generated by molecular dynamics simulations followed by pharmacophore mapping analysis, showed hydrophobic interactions of inhibitor hydrophobic headgroups and electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions of the polar tails, which are likely to be important for their inhibition. Decreasing compound lipophilicity by increasing the polarity of these tails then presents a likely route to improving the solubility and activity. Thus, compounds G24 and G26 provide attractive starting templates for the optimization of antitubercular agents that act by targeting DNA gyrase.

Six new compounds, globunones A−F (1−6), and two new flavonoids (7 and 8) together with nine known compounds (9−17) were isolated from the stems of Knema globularia. The chemical structures of 1−8 were elucidated by an analysis of their NMR and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry data as well as by comparison with literature values. The absolute configurations were determined using time-dependent density functional theory electronic circular dichroism (TD-DFT-ECD). Globunones A−E (1−5) represent the initial combined structures of a flavan-3-ol core and a 1,4-benzoquinone core. Globunone F (6) is the first flavanone-type compound bearing a 2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-oxoethyl group found to date in Nature. Compounds 1−3 and 6−17 were tested for their yeast α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. All compounds tested (except for 13 and 14) showed potent inhibition toward α-glucosidase with IC 50 values in the range 0.4−26.6 μM. Calodenin A (15) was the most active compound with an IC 50 value of 0.4 μM (the positive control, acarbose, IC 50 93.6 μM). A kinetic analysis of 15 revealed that it is a noncompetitive inhibitor with a K i value of 3.4 μM.

A series of diphenyl ether derivatives were developed and showed promising potency for inhibiting InhA, an essential enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis, leading to the lysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. To understand the structural basis of diphenyl ether derivatives for designing more potent inhibitors, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed. Based on the obtained results, the dynamic behaviour in terms of flexibility, binding free energy, binding energy decomposition, conformation, and the inhibitor-enzyme interaction of diphenyl ether inhibitors were elucidated. Phe149, Tyr158, Met161, Met199, Val203 and NAD+ are the key residues for binding of diphenyl ether inhibitors in the InhA binding pocket. Our results could provide the structural concept to design new diphenyl ether inhibitors with better enzyme inhibitory activity against M. tuberculosis InhA. The present work facilitates the design of new and potentially more effective anti-tuberculosis agents.

In silico Study Directed Towards Identification the Key Structural Feature of GyrB Inhibitors Targeting MTB DNA Gyrase: HQSAR, CoMSIA and Molecular Dynamics Simulations MTB DNA gyrase subunit B (GyrB) has been identified as promising target for rational drug design against fluoroquinolone drug resistant tuberculosis. In this study, we attempted to identify the key structural feature for highly potent GyrB inhibitors through 2D-QSAR using HQSAR, 3D-QSAR using CoMISA and MD simulations approaches on a series of thiazole urea core derivatives. The best HQSAR and CoMSIA models based on IC50 and MIC displayed the structural basis required for good activity against both GyrB enzyme and mycobacterial cell. MD simulations and binding free energy analysis using MM-GBSA and waterswap calculations revealed that urea core of inhibitors has strongest interaction with Asp79 via hydrogen bond interactions. In addition, cation-pi interaction and hydrophobic interactions of R2 subsituent with Arg82 and Arg141 help to enhance the binding affinity in GyrB ATPase binding site. Thus, the present study beneficially provides crucial structural feature and a structural concept for rational design of novel DNA gyrase inhibitors with improved biological activities against both enzyme and mycobacterial cell; good pharmacokinetic properties and drug safely profiles.