Gold drugs as colistin adjuvants in the fight against MCR-1 producing bacteria

The emergence and rapid spread of the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 among bacterial species and hosts significantly challenge the efficacy of “last-line” antibiotic colistin. Previously, we reported silver nitrate and auranofin serve as colistin adjuvants for combating mcr-1 -positive bacteria. Herein, we uncovered more gold-based drugs and nanoparticles, and found that they exhibited varying degree of synergisms with colistin on killing mcr-1 -positive bacteria. However, pre-activation of the drugs by either glutathione or N -acetyl cysteine, thus releasing and accumulating gold ions, is perquisite for their abilities to substitute zinc cofactor from MCR-1 enzyme. X-ray crystallography and biophysical studies further supported the proposed mechanism. This study not only provides basis for combining gold-based drugs and colistin for combating mcr-1 -positive bacterial infections, but also undoubtedly opens a new horizon for metabolism details of gold-based drugs in overcoming antimicrobial resistance. Graphical abstract