Targeting Polyphosphate Kinases in the Fight against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Polyphosphate (polyP) is a universally conserved molecule that plays critical roles in managing bacterial stress responses, in addition to biofilm formation and virulence. The enzymes that make polyphosphate molecules are called polyphosphate kinases (PPKs). Since these enzymes are not conserved in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inmBio Vol. 12; no. 4; p. e0147721
Main Authors Baijal, Kanchi, Downey, Michael
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Society for Microbiology 31.08.2021
Subjects
Bacteria
Commentary
enzyme inhibition
Genetics and Molecular Biology
polyP
polyphosphate
Polyphosphates
PPK1
PPK2
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Virulence
polyphosphate
PPK2
PPK1
enzyme inhibition
polyP
Pseudomonas
gallein
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Summary:Polyphosphate (polyP) is a universally conserved molecule that plays critical roles in managing bacterial stress responses, in addition to biofilm formation and virulence. The enzymes that make polyphosphate molecules are called polyphosphate kinases (PPKs). Since these enzymes are not conserved in higher eukaryotes, PPKs make excellent therapeutic targets. In a recent paper in , Neville and colleagues described gallein, a commercially available G-protein antagonist, as a novel dual-specificity inhibitor against two families of PPK enzymes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this commentary, we discuss the impact of this discovery, outline potential challenges of implementing gallein use in the clinic, and describe how gallein will serve as a fantastic new tool to further fundamental PPK and polyP research in bacteria.
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For the article discussed, see https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00592-21.
ISSN:2150-7511
2150-7511
DOI:10.1128/mBio.01477-21