Quorum Quenching Agents: Resources for Antivirulence Therapy

Abstract

The continuing emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is a concern to human health and highlights the urgent need for the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. Quorum sensing (QS) regulates virulence in many bacterial pathogens, and thus, is a promising target for antivirulence therapy which may inhibit virulence instead of cell growth and division. This means that there is little selective pressure for the evolution of resistance. Many natural quorum quenching (QQ) agents have been identified. Moreover, it has been shown that many microorganisms are capable of producing small molecular QS inhibitors and/or macromolecular QQ enzymes, which could be regarded as a strategy for bacteria to gain benefits in competitive environments. More than 30 species of marine QQ bacteria have been identified thus far, but only a few of them have been intensively studied. Recent studies indicate that an enormous number of QQ microorganisms are undiscovered in the highly diverse marine environments, and these marine microorganism-derived QQ agents may be valuable resources for antivirulence therapy.

Quorum sensing inhibitors from Leucetta chagosensis Dendy, 1863

“…These results highlight the importance of a lipophilic group such as methoxyl for the isonaamine D 3 activity, and of the uncomplexed conjugated nitrogen core for isonaamidine A 2 . QSI have a special interest for their low potential to provoke resistance of bacterial strains (Tang and Zhang ). AI‐2 are inter species communication molecules: luxS gene, encoding for the protein catalysing the production of AI‐2 is widespread among either Gram‐positive or Gram‐negative bacteria, but AI‐2 may not be produced for QS purpose as AI‐2 receptors are not as widespread as LuxS (Rezzonico and Duffy ).…”

An Entirely Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis-Based Strategy for Synthesis of Gelatinase Biosynthesis-Activating Pheromone (GBAP) Analogue Libraries: Investigating the Structure–Activity Relationships of the Enterococcus faecalis Quorum Sensing Signal

“…4–7 The regulatory role of QS in pathogenicity has led to significant research efforts aimed at targeting QS for the development of anti-infective treatments. 5–11 …”

Bacillus sp. QSI-1 Modulate Quorum Sensing Signals Reduce Aeromonas hydrophila Level and Alter Gut Microbial Community Structure in Fish

“…Quenching QS has been recommended as a promising non-antibiotics strategy for bacterial diseases therapy (Tang and Zhang, 2014). Most pathogenic bacteria in fish, such as Aeromonas spp.…”