Reverse -Substituted Hydroxamic Acid Derivatives of Fosmidomycin Target a Previously Unknown Subpocket of 1-Deoxy-d-xylulose 5-Phosphate Reductoisomerase (DXR).

Reverse analogs of the phosphonohydroxamic acid antibiotic fosmidomycin are potent inhibitors of the nonmevalonate isoprenoid biosynthesis enzyme 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR, IspC) of . Some novel analogs with large phenylalkyl substituents at the hydroxamic acid nitrogen exhibit nanomolar DXR inhibition and potent growth inhibition of parasites coupled with good parasite selectivity. X-ray crystallographic studies demonstrated that the -phenylpropyl substituent of the newly developed lead compound is accommodated in a subpocket within the DXR catalytic domain but does not reach the NADPH binding pocket of the -terminal domain. As shown for reverse carba and thia analogs, DXR selectively binds the -enantiomer of the new lead compound. In addition, some representatives of the novel inhibitor subclass are nanomolar DXR inhibitors, whereas the inhibition of DXR is considerably weaker.