Biotin synthesis and biotin ligation in Mtb

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tuberculosis (TB) remains the second leading cause of human death from a single infectious agent. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains that are resistant against multiple drugs (MDR) or are extremely drug resistant (XDR) continue to emerge and spread. New drugs are needed limit the impact of TB on global public health. We demonstrated that biotin metabolism is essential for growth and persistence of M. tuberculosis during infections, that biotin starvation can cause bacterial cell death, and we identified inhibitors of the biotin protein ligase of M. tuberculosis. In the proposed research we will (i) measure vulnerability of M. tuberculosis towards inhibition of different enzymes participating in biotin metabolism, (ii) identify triggers of biotin-starvation-induced cell death in M. tuberculosis, (iii) use structure-based drug design to further develop available lead compounds that inhibit biotin metabolism in M. tuberculosis, and (iv) study the mechanism of action of these inhibitors.