Inhibition studies of sulfonamide-containing folate analogs in yeast

Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta involves Δ8 desaturation

The Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta is distributed throughout temperate regions and considered to be a pest in peach production and other high-value fruit crops in the rose family. Insecticide treatment has led to resistance development, but the use of sex pheromones in pest management has shown great promise. We investigated the pheromone biosynthesis pathway in G. molesta with the aim of elucidating pheromone evolution in the Olethreutinae subfamily of moths and harnessing pathway genes in biotechnological production of sex pheromone for use in pest management. In vivo labelling experiments suggested that an uncommon Δ8 fatty acyl desaturase is involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis. CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out of the highly expressed candidate desaturase gene Gmol_CPRQ almost completely blocked the production of Δ8 pheromone components in vivo. Heterologous expression of Gmol_CPRQ protein in yeast- or Sf9 insect cells, however, failed to demonstrate the expected Δ8 desaturase activity. Instead, Δ9 desaturase activity was observed. Co-expression in the yeast system of the electron donor, cytochrome b5, from G. molesta still produced only Δ9 desaturase activity. We suggest that Gmol_CPRQ is intimately involved in pheromone production in vivo, via an unknown reaction mechanism that may possibly involve another co-factor that is absent in the yeast and Sf9 expression systems, or depend on its subcellular site of activity. Solving this puzzle will shed further light on pheromone biosynthesis in the family Tortricidae and will be required for successful biotechnological production of fatty acids and pheromones requiring Δ8 desaturation.

Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis: paving the way for biotechnological production

BACKGROUND

The sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera) is a key pest on sugarcane and other grasses in the Americas. Biological control as well as insecticide treatments are used for pest management, but economic losses are still significant. The use of female sex pheromones for mating disruption or mass trapping in pest management could be established for this species, provided that economical production of pheromone is available.

RESULTS

Combining in vivo labelling studies, differential expression analysis of transcriptome data and functional characterisation of insect genes in a yeast expression system, we reveal the biosynthetic pathway and identify the desaturase and reductase enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the main pheromone component (9Z,11E)-hexadecadienal, and minor components hexadecanal, (9Z)-hexadecenal and (11Z)-hexadecenal. We next demonstrate heterologous production of the corresponding alcohols of the pheromone components, by expressing multiple steps of the biosynthetic pathway in yeast.

CONCLUSION

Elucidation of the genetic basis of sex pheromone biosynthesis in D. saccharalis, and heterologous expression in yeast, paves the way for biotechnological production of the pheromone compounds needed for pheromone-based pest management of this species. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Interactions of the Cyanobacterium Chrysosporum ovalisporum with Antibiotics in Water

In this study, we assessed the effects of 11-day exposure of sulfadiazine (SD), sulfamethazine (SM2), norfloxacin (NOR), and enrofloxacin (ENR) on the growth, chlorophyll a (Chl. a) content, phycobiliproteins (PBPs) content, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of Chrysosporum ovalisporum, examined the removal rate of these antibiotics by C. ovalisporum, and performed acute toxicology test with Daphnia magna to determine the effect of interaction between antibiotics and cyanobacteria on aquatic animals. The results showed that the stress of SD and SM2 increased extracellular ALP activity and weakly inhibited the algal growth and the contents of Chl. a and PBPs compared with that noted in the control. ENR and NOR treatment groups exerted significant inhibition on algal growth as well as Chl. a and PBPs contents and ALP activity, although the cyanobacterium could degrade these two antibiotics more than SD and SM2. The results also revealed that the interaction between antibiotics and cyanobacteria could inhibit D. magna feeding.

Influence of Sulfonamide Contamination Derived from Veterinary Antibiotics on Plant Growth and Development

Veterinary antibiotics such as sulfonamides are widely used to increase feed efficiency and to protect against disease in livestock production. The sulfonamide antimicrobial mechanism involves the blocking of folate biosynthesis by inhibiting bacterial dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) activity competitively. Interestingly, most treatment antibiotics can be released into the environment via manure and result in significant diffuse pollution in the environment. However, the physiological effects of sulfonamide during plant growth and development remain elusive because the plant response is dependent on folate biosynthesis and the concentration of antibiotics. Here, we present a chemical interaction docking model between Napa cabbage (Brassica campestris) DHPS and sulfamethoxazole and sulfamethazine, which are the most abundant sulfonamides detected in the environment. Furthermore, seedling growth inhibition was observed in lentil bean (Lens culinaris), rice (Oryza sativa), and Napa cabbage plants upon sulfonamide exposure. The results revealed that sulfonamide antibiotics target plant DHPS in a module similar to bacterial DHPS and affect early growth and the development of crop seedlings. Taking these results together, we suggest that sulfonamides act as pollutants in crop fields.

Synthesis and Bioactivity of Reduced Chalcones Containing Sulfonamide Side Chains

The effect on the bioactivity of antibacterial sulfonamide drugs against malaria and tuberculosis via an increase of the lipid solubility groups by condensation with a reduced chalcone was investigated. Sulfonamide derivatives (8a-8d) were obtained via a 1,3-diarylpropane scaffold, prepared by reduction of the relevant chalcones, followed by the addition of a sulfonamide moiety via the Mannich and the Mannich exchange reactions. The ClogP values indicated that the lipophilicities of 8a-8d and intermediate reduced chalcones and N-alkylated reduced chalcones (5a-7a) were much higher than those of the sulfonamides (1a-1c). The N-alkylated reduced chalcone derivatives 6 and 7 exhibited the highest antimalarial (Plasmodium falciparum (NF54 strain)) activity. Addition of the sulfonamide group weakened the activity, even though some ClogP values were higher, while 1a-1c showed no activity. The reduced chalcones 5a and 5 showed potent growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv strain), but the sulfonamide derivatives 8a and 8d showed no or insignificant activity (0 and 14%, respectively) against M. tuberculosis, despite high ClogP values. Thus, the possible increase in bioactivity expected from an increase in ClogP values (lipophilicity) might be counteracted by the higher molecular weight of the studied analogues.

8-Mercaptoguanine Derivatives as Inhibitors of Dihydropteroate Synthase

Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) is an enzyme of the folate biosynthesis pathway, which catalyzes the formation of 7,8-dihydropteroate (DHPt) from 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphate (DHPPP) and para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA). DHPS is the long-standing target of the sulfonamide class of antibiotics that compete with pABA. In the wake of sulfa drug resistance, targeting the structurally rigid (and more conserved) pterin site has been proposed as an alternate strategy to inhibit DHPS in wild-type and sulfa drug resistant strains. Following the work on developing pterin-site inhibitors of the adjacent enzyme 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK), we now present derivatives of 8-mercaptoguanine, a fragment that binds weakly within both enzymes, and quantify sub-μm binding using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to Escherichia coli DHPS (EcDHPS). Eleven ligand-bound EcDHPS crystal structures delineate the structure-activity relationship observed providing a structural framework for the rational development of novel, substrate-envelope-compliant DHPS inhibitors.

Pterin-sulfa conjugates as dihydropteroate synthase inhibitors and antibacterial agents

The sulfonamide class of antibiotics has been in continuous use for over 70years. They are thought to act by directly inhibiting dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), and also acting as prodrugs that sequester pterin pools by forming dead end pterin-sulfonamide conjugates. In this study, eight pterin-sulfonamide conjugates were synthesized using a novel synthetic strategy and their biochemical and microbiological properties were investigated. The conjugates were shown to competitively inhibit DHPS, and inhibition was enhanced by the presence of pyrophosphate that is crucial to catalysis and is known to promote an ordering of the DHPS active site. The co-crystal structure of Yersinia pestis DHPS bound to one of the more potent conjugates revealed a mode of binding that is similar to that of the enzymatic product analog pteroic acid. The antimicrobial activities of the pterin-sulfonamide conjugates were measured against Escherichia coli in the presence and absence of folate precursors and dependent metabolites. These results show that the conjugates have appreciable antibacterial activity and act by an on target, anti-folate pathway mechanism rather than as simple dead end products.

Use of bacterial surrogates as a tool to explore antimalarial drug interaction: Synergism between inhibitors of malarial dihydrofolate reductase and dihydropteroate synthase

Interaction between antimalarial drugs is important in determining the outcome of chemotherapy using drug combinations. Inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) such as pyrimethamine and of dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) such as sulfa drugs are known to have synergistic interactions. However, studies of the synergism are complicated by the fact that the malaria parasite can also salvage exogenous folates, and the salvage may also be affected by the drugs. It is desirable to have a convenient system to study interaction of DHFR and DHPS inhibitors without such complications. Here, we describe the use of Escherichia coli transformed with malarial DHFR and DHPS, while its own corresponding genes have been inactivated by optimal concentration of trimethoprim and genetic knockout, respectively, to study the interaction of the inhibitors. Marked synergistic effects are observed for all combinations of pyrimethamine and sulfa inhibitors in the presence of trimethoprim. At 0.05μM trimethoprim, sum of fractional inhibitory concentrations, ΣFIC of pyrimethamine with sulfadoxine, pyrimethamine with sulfathiazole, pyrimethamine with sulfamethoxazole, and pyrimethamine with dapsone are in the range of 0.24-0.41. These results show synergism between inhibitors of the two enzymes even in the absence of folate transport and uptake. This bacterial surrogate system should be useful as a tool for assessing the interactions of drug combinations between the DHFR and DHPS inhibitors.

Replacing sulfa drugs with novel DHPS inhibitors

More research effort needs to be invested in antimicrobial drug development to address the increasing threat of multidrug-resistant organisms. The enzyme DHPS has been a validated drug target for over 70 years as the target for the highly successful sulfa drugs. The use of sulfa drugs has been compromised by the widespread presence of resistant organisms and the adverse side effects associated with their use. Despite the large amount of structural information available for DHPS, few recent publications address the possibility of using this knowledge for novel drug design. This article reviews the relevant papers and patents that report promising new small-molecule inhibitors of DHPS, and discuss these data in light of new insights into the DHPS catalytic mechanism and recently determined crystal structures of DHPS bound to potent small-molecule inhibitors. This new functional understanding confirms that DHPS deserves further consideration as an antimicrobial drug target.

A folate independent role for cytosolic HPPK/DHPS upon stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cytosolic HPPK/DHPS (cytHPPK/DHPS) in Arabidopsis is a functional enzyme with activity similar to its mitochondrial isoform. Genomic complementation of the cytHPPK/DHPS knockout mutant with the wild type gene led to a complete rescue of the stress sensitive mutant phenotype in seed germination tests under abiotic stress conditions. Moreover, over-expression of the gene resulted in higher germination rate under stress as compared to the wild-type, confirming its role in stress resistance. Analysis of folates in seedlings, inflorescence and dry seeds showed unchanged levels in the wild-type, mutant and over-expressor line, upon stress and normal conditions, suggesting a role for cytHPPK/DHPS distinct from folate biosynthesis and a folate-independent stress resistance mechanism. This apparently folate-independent mechanism of stress resistance points towards a possible role of pterins, since the product of HPPK/DHPS is dihydropteroate.

Plasmodium vivax dihydrofolate reductase as a target of sulpha drugs

Sulpha drugs act as competitive inhibitors of p-amino benzoic acid, an intermediate in the de novo folate pathway. Dihydropteroate synthase condenses sulpha drugs into sulpha-dihydropteroate (sulpha-DHP), which competes with dihydrofolate, the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) substrate. This designates DHFR as a possible target of sulpha-DHP. We suggest here that Plasmodium vivax DHFR is indeed the in vivo target of sulpha drugs. The wild-type DHFR expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae leads to cell growth inhibition, while sensitivity to the drug is exacerbated in the mutants. Contrary to what is observed with sulphanilamide, methotrexate is less effective on P. vivax-DHFR mutants than on wild-type mutant.

Purification, properties, and crystallization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase-dihydropteroate synthase

The tri-functional enzyme of Saccharomyces cerevisiae dihydroneopterin aldolase (DHNA)-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (PPPK)-dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) catalyzes three sequential steps in folate biosynthesis. A cDNA encoding the PPPK and DHPS domains of the tri-functional enzyme has been cloned. This bi-functional enzyme was expressed as a His(6) fusion protein in Escherichia coli and the protein was purified to apparent homogeneity. The purified protein possesses both PPPK and DHPS activities as measured by the incorporation of [(3)H]p-ABA into the appropriate substrate. The pH optimum of the DHPS activity was determined to be 8.5. Gel filtration measurement indicates that the protein exists as a dimer in solution. A robotic screening method was used to identify crystallization conditions. Bi-pyramidal crystals of the enzyme formed with the protein in the presence of a pterin substrate analog in phosphate buffer (pH 6.3) and these diffracted to 2.3A. Structural information from these crystals could be used to design novel drugs to inhibit folate biosynthesis.

Vitamin B3confers resistance to sulfa drugs inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Sulfa drugs are ubiquitous antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections and diseases caused by eukaryotes, such as Pneumocystis carinii, the leading cause of pneumonia (PCP) in HIV patients. A daily regimen of sulfonamides and multivitamins including vitamin B3 is also recommended for persons with HIV. We show that exogenous vitamin B3 (nicotinate) confers resistance to sulfa drugs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model for P. carinii. We propose a model of metabolic rerouting in which increased nicotinate leads to increased intracellular concentration of p-aminobenzoate, thus leading to sulfonamide resistance.

Exploring the folate pathway in Plasmodium falciparum

As in centuries past, the main weapon against human malaria infections continues to be intervention with drugs, despite the widespread and increasing frequency of parasite populations that are resistant to one or more of the available compounds. This is a particular problem with the lethal species of parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which claims some two million lives per year as well as causing enormous social and economic problems. Amongst the antimalarial drugs currently in clinical use, the antifolates have the best defined molecular targets, namely the enzymes dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), which function in the folate metabolic pathway. The products of this pathway, reduced folate cofactors, are essential for DNA synthesis and the metabolism of certain amino acids. Moreover, their formation and interconversions involve a number of other enzymes that have not as yet been exploited as drug targets. Antifolates are of major importance as they currently represent the only inexpensive regime for combating chloroquine-resistant malaria, and are now first-line drugs in a number of African countries. Aspects of our understanding of this pathway and antifolate drug resistance are reviewed here, with a particular emphasis on approaches to analysing the details of, and balance between, folate biosynthesis by the parasite and salvage of pre-formed folate from exogenous sources.

Mutations in the Pneumocystis jirovecii DHPS gene confer cross-resistance to sulfa drugs

Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major opportunistic pathogen that causes Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) and results in a high degree of mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The drug of choice for PCP is typically sulfamethoxazole (SMX) or dapsone in conjunction with trimethoprim. Drug treatment failure and sulfa drug resistance have been implicated epidemiologically with point mutations in dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) of P. jirovecii. P. jirovecii cannot be cultured in vitro; however, heterologous complementation of the P. jirovecii trifunctional folic acid synthesis (PjFAS) genes with an E. coli DHPS-disrupted strain was recently achieved. This enabled the evaluation of SMX resistance conferred by DHPS mutations. In this study, we sought to determine whether DHPS mutations conferred sulfa drug cross-resistance to 15 commonly available sulfa drugs. It was established that the presence of amino acid substitutions (T(517)A or P(519)S) in the DHPS domain of PjFAS led to cross-resistance against most sulfa drugs evaluated. The presence of both mutations led to increased sulfa drug resistance, suggesting cooperativity and the incremental evolution of sulfa drug resistance. Two sulfa drugs (sulfachloropyridazine [SCP] and sulfamethoxypyridazine [SMP]) that had a higher inhibitory potential than SMX were identified. In addition, SCP, SMP, and sulfadiazine (SDZ) were found to be capable of inhibiting the clinically observed drug-resistant mutants. We propose that SCP, SMP, and SDZ should be considered for clinical evaluation against PCP or for future development of novel sulfa drug compounds.

Mutations of Pneumocystis jirovecii dihydrofolate reductase associated with failure of prophylaxis

Most drugs used for prevention and treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia target enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of folic acid, i.e., dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Emergence of P. jirovecii drug resistance has been suggested by the association between failure of prophylaxis with sulfa drugs and mutations in DHPS. However, data on the occurrence of mutations in DHFR, the target of trimethoprim and pyrimethamine, are scarce. We examined polymorphisms in P. jirovecii DHFR from 33 patients diagnosed with P. jirovecii pneumonia who were receiving prophylaxis with a DHFR inhibitor (n = 15), prophylaxis without a DHFR inhibitor (n = 11), or no prophylaxis (n = 7). Compared to the wild-type sequence present in GenBank, 19 DHFR nucleotide substitution sites were found in 18 patients with 3 synonymous and 16 nonsynonymous mutations. Of 16 amino acid changes, 6 were located in positions conserved among distant organisms, and five of these six positions are probably involved in the putative active sites of the enzyme. Patients with failure of prophylaxis, including a DHFR inhibitor, were more likely to harbor nonsynonymous DHFR mutations than those who did not receive such prophylaxis (9 of 15 patients versus 2 of 18; P = 0.008). Analysis of the rate of nonsynonymous versus synonymous mutations was consistent with selection of amino acid substitutions in patients with failure of prophylaxis including a DHFR inhibitor. The results suggest that P. jirovecii populations may evolve under selective pressure from DHFR inhibitors, in particular pyrimethamine, and that DHFR mutations may contribute to P. jirovecii drug resistance.

Dihydropteroate synthase mutations in Pneumocystis jiroveci can affect sulfamethoxazole resistance in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model

Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) mutations in Pneumocystis jiroveci have been associated epidemiologically with resistance to sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Since P. jiroveci cannot be cultured, inherent drug resistance cannot be measured. This study explores the effects of these mutations in a tractable model organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Based on the sequence conservation between the DHPS enzymes of P. jiroveci and S. cerevisiae, together with the structural conservation of the three known DHPS structures, DHPS substitutions commonly observed in P. jiroveci were reverse engineered into the S. cerevisiae DHPS. Those mutations, T(597)A and P(599)S, can occur singly but are most commonly found together and are associated with SMX treatment failure. Mutations encoding the corresponding changes in the S. cerevisiae dhps were made in a yeast centromere vector, p414FYC, which encodes the native yeast DHPS as part of a trifunctional protein that also includes the two enzymes upstream of DHPS in the folic acid synthesis pathway, dihydroneopterin aldolase and 2-amino-4-hydroxymethyl dihydropteridine pyrophosphokinase. A yeast strain with dhps deleted was employed as the host strain, and transformants having DHPS activity were recovered. Mutants having both T(597) and P(599) substitutions had a requirement for p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), consistent with resistance being associated with altered substrate binding. These mutants could be adapted for growth in the absence of PABA, which coincided with increased sulfa drug resistance. Upregulated PABA synthesis was thus implicated as a mechanism for sulfa drug resistance for mutants having two DHPS substitutions.

Analysis in Escherichia coli of Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) alleles implicated in resistance to sulfadoxine

Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase have been linked to resistance to the antimalarial drug, sulfadoxine, which competes with the dihydropteroate synthase substrate, p-aminobenzoate. In an effort to evaluate the role of these mutations in a simple model system, we have expressed six relevant alleles of the P. falciparum dihydropteroate synthase gene in Escherichia coli. When each construct was produced in a dihydropteroate synthase disrupted E. coli strain that required thymidine, the thymidine requirement was lost, indicating heterologous complementation had occurred. In the presence of sulfadoxine, the growth of the strain with the wild-type dihydropteroate synthase allele was inhibited while those containing each of the five mutant alleles grew, indicating that these mutations can confer sulfadoxine resistance in E. coli. When tested against twelve additional 'sulfa' drugs a variety of responses were obtained. All strains were resistant to sulfadiazine, but the wild-type allele conferred sensitivity to all other sulfa drugs. Three alleles conferred resistance to dapsone, a drug that is to be targetted for a new regime of malaria treatment in Africa. All mutant alleles remained sensitive to sulfachloropyridazine and sulfacetamide. These results suggest new drugs that could be tried for effective malaria treatment.

Discovering modes of action for therapeutic compounds using a genome-wide screen of yeast heterozygotes

Modern medicine faces the challenge of developing safer and more effective therapies to treat human diseases. Many drugs currently in use were discovered without knowledge of their underlying molecular mechanisms. Understanding their biological targets and modes of action will be essential to design improved second-generation compounds. Here, we describe the use of a genome-wide pool of tagged heterozygotes to assess the cellular effects of 78 compounds in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Specifically, lanosterol synthase in the sterol biosynthetic pathway was identified as a target of the antianginal drug molsidomine, which may explain its cholesterol-lowering effects. Further, the rRNA processing exosome was identified as a potential target of the cell growth inhibitor 5-fluorouracil. This genome-wide screen validated previously characterized targets or helped identify potentially new modes of action for over half of the compounds tested, providing proof of this principle for analyzing the modes of action of clinically relevant compounds.

Promoter strength of folic acid synthesis genes affects sulfa drug resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The enzyme dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) is an important target for sulfa drugs in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes. However, the understanding of DHPS function and the action of antifolates in eukaryotes has been limited due to technical difficulties and the complexity of DHPS being a part of a bifunctional or trifunctional protein that comprises the upstream enzymes involved in folic acid synthesis (FAS). Here, yeast strains have been constructed to study the effects of FOL1 expression on growth and sulfa drug resistance. A DHPS knockout yeast strain was complemented by yeast vectors expressing the FOL1 gene under the control of promoters of different strengths. An inverse relationship was observed between the growth rate of the strains and FOL1 expression levels. The use of stronger promoters to drive FOL1 expression led to increased sulfamethoxazole resistance when para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) levels were elevated. However, high FOL1 expression levels resulted in increased susceptibility to sulfamethoxazole in pABA free media. These data suggest that up-regulation of FOL1 expression can lead to sulfa drug resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.