10.3390/molecules24152719
This research focuses on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 1-phenyl-2-(phenylamino)ethanone derivatives as novel MCR-1 inhibitors to combat colistin resistance caused by the mcr-1 gene. The study identified racemic compound 3 as a potential MCR-1 inhibitor through virtual screening, and subsequently, 26 derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity. The most potent compounds, 6p and 6q, were found to effectively inhibit the growth of E. coli BL21(DE3) expressing mcr-1 when combined with colistin. These compounds were also shown to inhibit the enzymatic activity of MCR-1 in vitro. Molecular docking studies revealed that the active compounds interact with key amino acids in the MCR-1 protein, providing insights into their mechanism of action. The research highlights the potential of these compounds as a strategy to overcome colistin resistance and suggests further optimization and development of MCR-1 inhibitors.