MurE inhibitors as antibacterial agents: a review

Peptidoglycan, an essential component of the bacterial cell wall plays a critical role in protecting bacteria against osmotic lysis. The ATP-dependent MurC-F ligases are crucial for the early stages of peptidoglycan biosynthesis. MurE ligase is third in the series and catalyzes the addition of l-Lysine (l-Lys) in Gram-positive bacteria or meso-diaminopimelic acid (meso-A2pm) in most Gram-negative bacteria to form UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-l-Ala-d-Glu-l-Lys/A2pm. The high substrate specific for l-Lys or meso-A2pm makes this enzyme an attractive target for the development of antibacterial agents. Several MurE inhibitors have been reported including phosphinates, peptidosulfonamides, napthylfuran-2-ones, benzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acids, phosphorylatedhydroxyethylamines, natural compounds, 5-benzylidenethiazolidin-4-ones, N-alkyl-2-alkynyl-4(1H)-quinolones, rhodanine substituted d-glutamic acids, 2,5-dimethyl pyrroles, 2,5-disubstitued furans, tetrahydroisoquinolines etc. In the present review we present an update status and structural information of MurE enzyme inhibitors which may be utilized for the design of potent inhibitors against this enzyme.