Ji-Hoon Kim, Yunmi Lee, Inseo Kim, JuOae Chang, Subin Hong, Na Kyung Lee, David Shum, Seongeun Baek, Wooseong Kim, Soojin Jang, Wonsik Lee
Small molecule can be utilized to restore the effectiveness of existing major classes of antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, it is demonstrated that celastrol, a natural compound, can modify the bacterial cell wall and subsequently render bacteria more suceptible to β-lactam antibiotics. It is shown that celastrol leads to incomplete cell wall crosslinking by modulating levels of c-di-AMP, a secondary messenger, in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This mechanism enables celastrol to act as a potentiator, effectively rendering MRSA susceptible to a range of penicillins and cephalosporins...
May 15, 2024: Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)