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Exometabolome Analysis Identifies Pyruvate Dehydrogenase as a Target for the Antibiotic Triphenylbismuthdichloride in Multiresistant Bacterial Pathogens*

Timo A Birkenstock,M. Liebeke,Volker Winstel,B. Krismer,Cordula Gekeler,M. J. Niemiec,H. Bisswanger,M. Lalk,A. Peschel

Published 2011 in Journal of Biological Chemistry

ABSTRACT

Background: New antimicrobial targets and compounds against resistant pathogens are urgently needed. Results: Exometabolomic and enzymologic studies identified the antimicrobial compound triphenylbismuthdichloride as an efficient inhibitor of the bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC). Conclusion: The bacterial PDHC has attractive properties as an antimicrobial target. Significance: We suggest that metabolomics can be very useful for studying the modes of action of antimicrobial compounds. The desperate need for new therapeutics against notoriously antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a quest for novel antibacterial target structures and compounds. Moreover, defining targets and modes of action of new antimicrobial compounds remains a major challenge with standard technologies. Here we characterize the antibacterial properties of triphenylbismuthdichloride (TPBC), which has recently been successfully used against device-associated infections. We demonstrate that TPBC has potent antimicrobial activity against many bacterial pathogens. Using an exometabolome profiling approach, a unique TPBC-mediated change in the metabolites of Staphylococcus aureus was identified, indicating that TPBC blocks bacterial pyruvate catabolism. Enzymatic studies showed that TPBC is a highly efficient, uncompetitive inhibitor of the bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Our study demonstrates that metabolomics approaches can offer new avenues for studying the modes of action of antimicrobial compounds, and it indicates that inhibition of the bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex may represent a promising strategy for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria.

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