TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to the use of a novel enzyme, the PptT protein (4'-Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase) involved in the activation of polyketide synthetases in mycobacteria, as a target for the screening of compounds for identifying those having an antibiotic activity, especially against pathogenic bacteria containing mycolic acids.
This invention also concerns an in vitro screening process for identifying compounds having an antibiotic activity, by measuring the activity of a PptT protein in the presence or absence of said compounds.