A <i>trans</i> -translation inhibitor that targets ribosomal protein bL12 kills <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>

ABSTRACT New antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action are needed to treat infections by multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Here, we show that KKL-1005, an anti-tubercular triazole-based molecule, binds to ribosomal protein bL12 and specifically inhibits the trans -translation ribosome rescue pathway, a process essential for the survival of M. tuberculosis . Our data demonstrate that KKL-1005 binds to the N-terminal domain of bL12, both in vitro and in bacterial cells, and specifically inhibits trans -translation and not normal translation. These results suggest that tmRNA-SmpB interacts with bL12 differently from tRNA and raise the possibility of developing antibiotics targeting bL12. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide, and antibiotics that target new pathways are urgently needed. trans -Translation is a ribosome rescue pathway required for the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . We identified a small molecule, KKL-1005, that specifically inhibits trans -translation without affecting translation from a library of compounds that prevent the growth of M. tuberculosis . KKL-1005 targets bacterial ribosomal protein bL12, which is essential for the recruitment and activation of GTPase translation factors. The specificity of KKL-1005 for trans -translation indicates that bL12 interacts differently with the translation machinery during trans -translation than during canonical translation. KKL-1005 is bactericidal against M. tuberculosis , suggesting that inhibiting trans -translation by targeting bL12 is a new strategy for developing antibiotics against drug-resistant infections.