Structure of Type-I Mycobacterium tuberculosis fatty acid synthase at 3.3 Å resolution

Nat Commun. 2018 Sep 24;9(1):3886. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06440-6.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a devastating and rapidly spreading disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Therapy requires prolonged treatment with a combination of multiple agents and interruptions in the treatment regimen result in emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Mtb strains. MDR Mtb poses a significant global health problem, calling for urgent development of novel drugs to combat TB. Here, we report the 3.3 Å resolution structure of the ~2 MDa type-I fatty acid synthase (FAS-I) from Mtb, determined by single particle cryo-EM. Mtb FAS-I is an essential enzymatic complex that contributes to the virulence of Mtb, and thus a prime target for anti-TB drugs. The structural information for Mtb FAS-I we have obtained enables computer-based drug discovery approaches, and the resolution achieved by cryo-EM is sufficient for elucidating inhibition mechanisms by putative small molecular weight inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Fatty Acid Synthases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Fatty Acid Synthases / chemistry*
  • Fatty Acid Synthases / isolation & purification
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / chemistry*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / pathogenicity
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Fatty Acid Synthases
  • fatty acid synthase I, mycobacteria