Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of substituted oxazole-benzamide antibacterial inhibitors of FtsZ.

The design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of a series of oxazole-benzamide inhibitors of the essential bacterial cell division protein FtsZ are described. Compounds had potent anti-staphylococcal activity and inhibited the cytokinesis of the clinically-significant bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Selected analogues possessing a 5-halo oxazole also inhibited a strain of S.

Creating an antibacterial with in vivo efficacy: synthesis and characterization of potent inhibitors of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ with improved pharmaceutical properties.

3-Methoxybenzamide (1) is a weak inhibitor of the essential bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. Alkyl derivatives of 1 are potent antistaphylococcal compounds with suboptimal drug-like properties. Exploration of the structure-activity relationships of analogues of these inhibitors led to the identification of potent antistaphylococcal compounds with improved pharmaceutical properties.

An inhibitor of FtsZ with potent and selective anti-staphylococcal activity.

FtsZ is an essential bacterial guanosine triphosphatase and homolog of mammalian beta-tubulin that polymerizes and assembles into a ring to initiate cell division. We have created a class of small synthetic antibacterials, exemplified by PC190723, which inhibits FtsZ and prevents cell division. PC190723 has potent and selective in vitro bactericidal activity against staphylococci, including methicillin- and multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.