Crystallographic Structures of Two Bisphosphonate:1-Deoxyxylulose-5-Phosphate Reductoisomerase Complexes

We have obtained the single-crystal X-ray crystallographic structures of the bisphosphonates [(1-isoquinolinylamino)methylene]-1,1-bisphosphonate and [[(5-chloro-2-pyridinyl)amino]methylene]-1,1-bisphosphonate, bound to the enzyme 1-deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR, EC 1.1.1.267, also known as 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate synthase), an important target for the development of antimalarial drugs. Our results indicate that both bisphosphonates bind into the fosmidomycin binding site. The aromatic groups are in a shallow hydrophobic pocket, and the phosphonate groups are involved in electrostatic interactions with Mg²⁺ or a cluster of carboxylic acid groups and lysine while the fosmidomycin phosphonate-binding site is occupied by a sulfate ion (as also observed in the DXR/NADP⁺ structure). The availability of these two new crystal structures opens up the possibility of the further development of bisphosphonates and related systems as DXR inhibitors and, potentially, as antiinfective agents.