Antimicrobial activity of an iron triple helicate

Abstract 

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance has resulted in the need for new approaches to be developed to combat previously easily treatable infections. Here we investigated the potential of the synthetic metallomolecules [Fe₂L₃]⁴⁺ and [Cu₂(L’)₂]²⁺ as antibacterial agents. Both molecules have been shown to bind DNA; [Fe₂L₃]⁴⁺ binds in the major groove and causes DNA coiling, whilst [Cu₂(L’)₂]²⁺ can act as an artificial nuclease. The work described here shows that only [Fe₂L₃]⁴⁺ is bactericidal for Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that [Fe₂L₃]⁴⁺ binds bacterial DNA in vivo and, strikingly, that it kills B. subtilis cells very rapidly.

Keywords: Metallomolecule, Helicate, DNA binding, Major groove binder, Antimicrobial