A number of small molecule inhibitors of fatty acid biosynthesis
(FAB) are known. Triclosan (an antiseptic) and isoniazid
(an antituberculosis drug) both inhibit bacterial enoyl-ACPreductase
(FabI/InhA), the enzyme responsible for the final
reduction step during FAB. New classes of inhibitors have
been identified by screening synthetic compound libraries4
and via bioassay guided studies of natural products. Examples
of the latter include cerulenin,5 thiolactomycin6 and more
recently bischloroanthrabenzoxocinone,7 phomallenic acids
AeC,8 platensimycin9 and flavonoids.10,11 The thiolactomycin
scaffold has been the subject of structureeactivity studies, in
particular focussing on growth inhibition of Mycobacterium