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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Screening for Thermotoga maritima Membrane-Bound Pyrophosphatase Inhibitors
Published on: November 23, 2019
Structural basis for selective inhibition of antibacterial target MraY, a membrane-bound enzyme involved in
Jenny Hering1, Elin Dunevall2, Margareta Ek3
1Discovery Sciences, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca R&D Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract:
The rapid growth of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is of major concern for human health. Therefore, it is of great importance to characterize novel targets for the development of antibacterial drugs. One promising protein target is MraY (UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide: undecaprenyl phosphate N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide-1-phosphate transferase or MurNAc-1-P-transferase), which is essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis. Here, we summarize recent breakthroughs in structural studies of bacterial MraYs and the closely related human GPT (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine: dolichyl phosphate N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase or GlcNAc-1-P-transferase). We present a detailed comparison of interaction modes with the natural product inhibitors tunicamycin and muraymycin D2. Finally, we speculate on possible routes to design an antibacterial agent in the form of a potent and selective inhibitor against MraY.
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