Chemical scaffolds with structural similarities to siderophores of nonribosomal peptide-polyketide origin as novel antimicrobials against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Yersinia pestis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Yersinia pestis (Yp) produce siderophores with scaffolds of nonribosomal peptide-polyketide origin. Compounds with structural similarities to these siderophores were synthesized and evaluated as antimicrobials against Mtb and Yp under iron-limiting conditions mimicking the iron scarcity these pathogens encounter in the host and under standard iron-rich conditions. Several new antimicrobials were identified, including some with increased potency in the iron-limiting condition. Our study illustrates the possibility of screening compound libraries in both iron-rich and iron-limiting conditions to identify antimicrobials that may selectively target iron scarcity-adapted bacteria and highlights the usefulness of building combinatorial libraries of compounds having scaffolds with structural similarities to siderophores to feed into antimicrobial screening programs.