Disturbing bacterial morphogenesis by antibiotic action (A02)

• Subject Area: Medical Microbiology and Mycology, Hygiene, Molecular Infection Biology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 398967434

Antibiotic acyldepsipeptides (ADEPs) exert potent antibacterial activity against many Gram-positive pathogens by deregulating the bacterial Clp protease. The mode of killing is species-dependent, either by inhibiting native Clp functions or by activating the protease for deregulated protein degradation. With regard to protease activation, the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ is a preferred degradation target in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and both species depend on FtsZ for viability. In the producer genus Streptomyces, FtsZ is not essential, but it is important for propagation via sporulation, and we here investigate the effect of ADEP on the multicellular life cycle of these bacteria.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 261: Cellular Mechanisms of Antibiotic Action and Production
• Applicant Institution: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
• Project Head: Dr. Peter Sass