Identification of novel deoxyribofuranosyl indole antimicrobial agents.

Three novel deoxyribofuranosyl indole derivatives, FG050227 (1), FG050223 (2) and FG050204 (3), were identified as antimicrobial agents effective against Gram-positive bacterial strains and some fungi. The MIC values of (1), (2) and (3) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were 3.0, 6.0 and 13 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. Compounds 1 and 3 had bactericidal activity against exponentially growing S. aureus and inhibited biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, protein, RNA and DNA. Compound 2 was bacteriostatic and inhibited the biosynthesis of protein and RNA. The results indicated that deoxyribofuranosyl indole derivatives could be potential lead compounds for the development of antimicrobial agents.