The AEROPATH project targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa: crystallographic studies for assessment of potential targets in early-stage drug discovery

Acta Cryst. (2013). F69, 25-34 (http://doi.org/ksm)

Crystal structure of HemD from the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The enzyme is located at a metabolic branching point leading to the biosynthesis of haem, sirohaem or vitamin B₁₂.

Bacteria, particularly Gram-negative species, present a serious challenge to human health. At worst, increasingly antibiotic-resistant pathogens threaten to undo over half a century of medical progress. Traditionally, antibiotics were discovered empirically through large screening efforts of natural products. The power of modern structural biology allows antibiotic discovery to start with atomic resolution information of potential drug targets. Here, we report a suite of protein crystal structures from the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa that provide rational starting points for future antibiotic discovery.