Small Molecules That Modulate Quorum Sensing and Control Virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Bacteria use small molecule signals to access then local population densities in a process called quorum sensing (QS) Once a threshold signal concentration is reached, and therefore a certain number of bacteria have assembled. bacteria use QS to change gene expression levels and inmate behaviors that benefit the group These group processes play central roles in both bacterial virulence and symbiosis and can have significant impacts on human health, agriculture, and the environment The dependence of QS on small molecule signals has inspired organic chemists to design non-native molecules that can intercept these signals and thereby perturb bacterial group behaviors The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been the target of many of these efforts clue to its prevalence in human infections P aeruginosa uses at least two N-acyl L-homoserine lactone signals and three homologous Lux R-type receptors to inmate a range of pathogenic behaviors at high cell densities. including biofilm formation and the production of an arsenal of virulence factors This pet spec:live highlights recent chemical efforts is to modulate Lux R-type receptor activity in P aeruginosa and offers insight into the development of receptor-specific ligands as potential antivirulence strategies