Targeting bacterial nickel transport with aspergillomarasmine A suppresses virulence-associated Ni-dependent enzymes

Microbial Ni²⁺ homeostasis underpins the virulence of several clinical pathogens. Ni²⁺ is an essential cofactor in urease and [NiFe]-hydrogenases involved in colonization and persistence. Many microbes produce metallophores to sequester metals necessary for their metabolism and starve competing neighboring organisms. The fungal metallophore aspergillomarasmine A (AMA) shows narrow specificity for Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Co²⁺. Here, we show that this specificity allows AMA to block the uptake of Ni²⁺ and attenuate bacterial Ni-dependent enzymes, offering a potential strategy for reducing virulence. Bacterial exposure to AMA perturbs H₂ metabolism, ureolysis, struvite crystallization, and biofilm formation and shows efficacy in a Galleria mellonella animal infection model. The inhibition of Ni-dependent enzymes was aided by Zn^2+, which complexes with AMA and competes with the native nickelophore for the uptake of Ni²⁺. Biochemical analyses demonstrated high-affinity binding of AMA-metal complexes to NikA, the periplasmic substrate-binding protein of the Ni²⁺ uptake system. Structural examination of NikA in complex with Ni-AMA revealed that the coordination geometry of Ni-AMA mimics the native ligand, Ni-(L-His)₂, providing a structural basis for binding AMA-metal complexes. Structure-activity relationship studies of AMA identified regions of the molecule that improve NikA affinity and offer potential routes for further developing this compound as an anti-virulence agent.