Inhibiting bacterial cell division by controlling the essential FtsZ/SepH protein-protein interaction

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are a huge threat in healthcare. The last resorts of conventional antibiotic drugs are unable to treat multi-resistant strains in patients. New approaches towards antibiotics are desperately needed. To spread and survive, bacteria need to divide. Thus, bacterial cell division has emerged as a promising antibiotic target pathway to combat multi-resistant pathogens. This project aims to target a protein-protein interactions that pathogenic bacteria, like the causative agent of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis require to propagate. Using Mycobacteria smegmatis as a harmless model organisms for M. tuberculosis, the project will design, synthesise and test compounds which specifically prevent the formation of this essential protein-protein interaction to inhibit cell division.