Disorazoles Block Group A Streptococcal Invasion into Epithelial Cells Via Interference with the Host Factor Ezrin

Bacterial pathogens use invasion into human cells as a strategy to escape not only the host's immune response, but also anti-bacterial treatment. This often leads to persistence and enables reinitiation of the infection process at a later time point. Here, we show that a family of myxobacterial metabolites, disorazoles, block invasion of group A Streptococcus (GAS) into human epithelial cells. Mechanistically, disorazoles target ezrin, a host protein involved in linking microfilaments to the membrane, and affect invasion most likely by interfering with dynamic phosphorylation of ezrin. Overall, our study suggests ezrin as a new factor in two different GAS invasion pathways, independent of the already known CD44 pathway, and that disorazoles are promising "pathoblocker" compounds aimed at this additional invasion mechanism.