Background: The prevalence of drug-resistant bacterial infections urges the development of new antibacterial agents that possess a mechanism of action different from traditional antibiotics. FtsZ has been recognized as a key functional protein in bacterial cell division and it is currently believed to be a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial agents.
Purpose: The primary aim of the study is to screen out an inhibitor targeting at FtsZ and followed to investigate its antibacterial activity and mode of action.
Methods: Cell-based cell division inhibitory screening assay, antimicrobial susceptibility test, minimum bactericidal concentration assay, time-killing curve determination, FtsZ polymerization assay, GTPase activity assay, and molecular modeling were performed in the present study.
Results: The screening study from a small library consisting of benzimidazole and indole derivatives discovered a compound (CZ74) with an indole-core structure. The compound exhibited strong cell division inhibitory effect. In addition, CZ74 shows high antibacterial potency against a number of tested Gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus  and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus . The minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained were within the range of 2–4 μg/mL. The results of biological study revealed that CZ74 at 2 μg/mL is able to disrupt FtsZ polymerization and inhibit GTPase activity and cell division. From molecular modeling study, CZ74 is found possibly binding into the interdomain cleft of FtsZ protein and then leads to inhibitory effects.
Conclusion: This indole-cored molecule CZ74 could be a potential lead compound and could be further developed as a new generation of antibacterial agents targeting FtsZ to combat against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Keywords: indole-core-based derivative, antibacterial, cell division, FtsZ, antibiotic resistant