MmpL3 inhibitors as antituberculosis drugs

Abstract

The mycobacterial membrane protein Large 3 (MmpL3) is an inner membrane protein that transports trehalose-monomycolates, precursors for trehalose-dimycolates and mycolic acids that make up essential components of the mycobacterial outer membrane. Inhibition of MmpL3 weakens the mycobacterial cell wall and ultimately results in cell death in both in vitro and in vivo infection models. This highlights the therapeutic potential of MmpL3 as a drug target. High-throughput whole-cell screening along with whole genome sequencing of resistant mutants has identified numerous classes of compounds that can be classified as MmpL3 inhibitors. In this review, we provide insights into the current development of various MmpL3 inhibitors and discuss the potential challenges in this area.