Targeting a Multidrug-Resistant Pathogen: First Generation Antagonists of Burkholderia cenocepacia 's BC2L-C Lectin.
Bermeo, R., Lal, K., Ruggeri, D., Lanaro, D., Mazzotta, S., Vasile, F., Imberty, A., Belvisi, L., Varrot, A., Bernardi, A.(2022) ACS Chem Biol 17: 2899-2910
- PubMed: 36174276 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.2c00532
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
7OLU, 7OLW - PubMed Abstract: 
Multidrug-resistant pathogens such as Burkholderia cenocepacia have become a hazard in the context of healthcare-associated infections, especially for patients admitted with cystic fibrosis or immuno-compromising conditions. Like other opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria, this pathogen establishes virulence and biofilms through lectin-mediated adhesion. In particular, the superlectin BC2L-C is believed to cross-link human epithelial cells to B. cenocepacia during pulmonary infections. We aimed to obtain glycomimetic antagonists able to inhibit the interaction between the N -terminal domain of BC2L-C (BC2L-C-Nt) and its target fucosylated human oligosaccharides. In a previous study, we identified by fragment virtual screening and validated a small set of molecular fragments that bind BC2L-C-Nt in the vicinity of the fucose binding site. Here, we report the rational design and synthesis of bifunctional C - or N -fucosides, generated by connecting these fragments to a fucoside core using a panel of rationally selected linkers. A modular route starting from two key fucoside intermediates was implemented for the synthesis, followed by evaluation of the new compounds as BC2L-C-Nt ligands with a range of techniques (surface plasmon resonance, isothermal titration calorimetry, saturation transfer difference NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray crystallography). This study resulted in a hit molecule with an order of magnitude gain over the starting methyl fucoside and in two crystal structures of antagonist/lectin complexes.
Organizational Affiliation: 
CNRS, CERMAV, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38000, France.