Aerocavin Is an Antibiotic with Potent and Specific Anti-Neisserial Activity
Gonorrhea, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is a widespread sexually transmitted disease that is becoming resistant to all currently used antibiotics. Therefore, new therapeutics for gonorrhea are desperately needed. Here, we show that a natural product, aerocavin, is highly potent and specific against Neisseria . Aerocavin accumulates in N. gonorrhoeae at high levels and inhibits bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) by binding the switch region. Aerocavin resistance mutations evolve in N. gonorrhoeae at a low rate and are absent in clinical isolates. Previously overlooked narrow-spectrum antimicrobials like aerocavin may enable microbiome-sparing treatments of gonorrhea.
Authors
- Jon Clardy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0213-8356)
- Yern‐Hyerk Shin
- Kyra E Fryling
- Vineetha Vasukuttan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9327-0955)
- Tatum D. Mortimer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6255-690X)
- Gleb Pishchany (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9303-010X)
- Yonatan H. Grad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5646-1314)
Institutions
- Center for Devices and Radiological Health (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- RTI International (US)
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2026-06-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.6c00197
- Primary Topic
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases