Chemical scaffolds with structural similarities to siderophores of nonribosomal peptide-polyketide origin as novel antimicrobials against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Yersinia pestis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Yersinia pestis (Yp) produce siderophores with scaffolds of nonribosomal peptide–polyketide origin. Compounds with structural similarities to these siderophores were synthesized and evaluated as antimicrobials against Mtb and Yp under iron-limiting conditions mimicking the iron scarcity these pathogens encounter in the host and under standard iron-rich conditions. Several new antimicrobials were identified, including some with increased potency in the iron-limiting condition. Our study illustrates the possibility of screening compound libraries in both iron-rich and iron-limiting conditions to identify antimicrobials that may selectively target iron scarcity-adapted bacteria and highlights the usefulness of building combinatorial libraries of compounds having scaffolds with structural similarities to siderophores to feed into antimicrobial screening programs.