Small Molecule Inhibition of an Exopolysaccharide Modification Enzyme is a Viable Strategy To Block Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pel Biofilm Formation

Biosynthesis of the Pel exopolysaccharide in Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires all seven genes of the pelABCDEFG operon. The periplasmic modification enzyme PelA contains a C-terminal deacetylase domain that is necessary for Pel-dependent biofilm formation. Herein, we show that extracellular Pel is not produced by a P. aeruginosa PelA deacetylase mutant. This positions PelA deacetylase activity as an attractive target to prevent Pel-dependent biofilm formation. Using a high-throughput screen (n = 69,360), we identified 56 compounds that potentially inhibit PelA esterase activity, the first enzymatic step in the deacetylase reaction. A secondary biofilm inhibition assay identified methyl 2-(2-pyridinylmethylene) hydrazinecarbodithioate (SK-017154-O) as a specific Pel-dependent biofilm inhibitor. Structure-activity relationship studies identified the thiocarbazate as a necessary functional group and that the pyridyl ring could be replaced with a phenyl substituent (compound 1). Both SK-017154-O and compound 1 inhibit Pel-dependent biofilm formation in Bacillus cereus ATCC 10987, which has a predicted extracellular PelA deacetylase in its pel operon. Michaelis-Menten kinetics determined SK-017154-O to be a noncompetitive inhibitor of PelA, while compound 1 did not directly inhibit PelA esterase activity. Cytotoxicity assays using human lung fibroblast cells showed that compound 1 is less cytotoxic than SK-017154-O. This work provides proof of concept that biofilm exopolysaccharide modification enzymes are important for biofilm formation and can serve as useful antibiofilm targets. IMPORTANCE Present in more than 500 diverse Gram-negative and 900 Gram-positive organisms, the Pel polysaccharide is one of the most phylogenetically widespread biofilm matrix determinants found to date. Partial de-N-acetylation of this α-1,4 linked N-acetylgalactosamine polymer by the carbohydrate modification enzyme PelA is required for Pel-dependent biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. Given this and our observation that extracellular Pel is not produced by a P. aeruginosa PelA deactylase mutant, we developed an enzyme-based high-throughput screen and identified methyl 2-(2-pyridinylmethylene) hydrazinecarbodithioate (SK-017154-O) and its phenyl derivative as specific Pel-dependent biofilm inhibitors. Michaelis-Menten kinetics revealed SK-017154-O is a noncompetitive inhibitor and that its noncytotoxic, phenyl derivative does not directly inhibit P. aeruginosa PelA esterase activity. We provide proof of concept that exopolysaccharide modification enzymes can be targeted with small molecule inhibitors to block Pel-dependent biofilm development in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.