Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing by AI-2 analogs

Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) has been suggested to serve as a universal interspecies quorum sensing signaling molecule. We have synthesized a set of AI-2 analogs with small incremental changes in alkyl substitution on C-2 and evaluated them for their agonistic and antagonistic potential as quorum sensing (QS) attenuators in two different bacterial species: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio harveyi. Unexpectedly, several of the analogs were found to function as synergistic QS agonists in V. harveyi, while two of these analogs inhibit QS in P. aeruginosa.

AI-2 analogs with extended alkyl substitutions at C-2 of dihydroxypentanedione (DPD) function as synergistic agonists of quorum sensing (QS) in Vibrio harveyi and as inhibitors of QS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide