FtsZ inhibition: a promising approach for antistaphylococcal therapy.

Staphylococcus causes a large number of animal and human diseases and has been considered as a major health concern. With the emergence of resistant strains of staphylococcus, like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the search for novel antibacterial targets has intensified. FtsZ, a bacterial cytoskeleton protein, is involved in cell division. FtsZ assembles into protofilaments in a GTP-dependent manner, and forms a dynamic Z-ring at the mid-cell position. The assembly dynamics of FtsZ in the Z-ring are regulated by the combined actions of several FtsZ-associated proteins. Furthermore, the interaction of FtsZ with accessory proteins is essential for their recruitment to the Zring. A disruption of this interaction perturbs the Z-ring formation. FtsZ inhibitors like PC-190723 have been suggested to inhibit the Staphylococcus cell division by perturbing the assembly and stability of FtsZ polymers. In this review, we discuss the assembly dynamics of Z-ring and its role in cell division. In addition, we highlight recent advances suggesting the potential of FtsZ as a drug target for antistaphylococcal therapy.