Scientific article
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A bioluminescence-based chemical screen identifies a bactericidal naphthalen-1-ylmethanamine scaffold targeting MmpL3 in Mycobacterium abscessus

Published inCell reports, vol. 45, no. 5, 117311
Publication date2026-05-26
First online date2026-04-22
Abstract

Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary disease (Mabs-PD) is a growing global health challenge. The lack of bactericidal antibiotics effective at therapeutically relevant concentrations underscores an urgent need for drug discovery. Targeting cell wall synthesis is a promising strategy for drug discovery, as exemplified by the clinical success of broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics. Here, we employ a bioluminescence-based whole-cell assay optimized to identify compounds that disrupt both cell wall synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation. A focused drug library screen against Mabs reveals a chemically tractable naphthalen-1-ylmethanamine scaffold with potent bactericidal activity. The optimized derivative GM47-1 targets MmpL3, compromises cell wall integrity, induces ATP leakage, and uncouples respiration. Further chemical optimization yields a derivative with nanomolar minimum inhibitory concentration, bactericidal activity against intracellular Mabs, and efficacy in a zebrafish infection model. Together, these findings identify a promising scaffold for therapeutic development and demonstrate the utility of this bioluminescence-based platform for discovering bactericidal agents against Mabs.

Keywords
  • CP: microbiology
  • MmpL3
  • Antimicrobial
  • Bactericidal
  • Bioenergetics
  • Cell wall
  • Cell wall inhibition
  • Mycolic acid
  • Non-tuberculous mycobacteria
  • Tuberculosis
  • Uncoupling
  • Mycobacterium abscessus / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium abscessus / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Zebrafish
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods
  • Cell Wall / drug effects
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Naphthalenes / pharmacology
  • Naphthalenes / chemistry
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / drug therapy
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology
  • Humans
Citation (ISO format)
SINGH, Samsher et al. A bioluminescence-based chemical screen identifies a bactericidal naphthalen-1-ylmethanamine scaffold targeting MmpL3 in Mycobacterium abscessus. In: Cell reports, 2026, vol. 45, n° 5, p. 117311. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117311
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Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Journal ISSN2211-1247
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Creation01/08/2026 07:01:34
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