A wide variety of Gram-negative microorganisms utilize a LuxI/R-type circuit within their quorum sensing (QS) signaling pathways to regulate virulence. The goal of our project is to disrupt bacterial communication by inhibiting the LuxI-type synthases as an antivirulence approach to Gram-negative pathogens. Development of an antivirulence approach as an alternative therapeutic treatment to antibiotics is necessary due to the alarming increase in antibiotic resistance. Here, we target the QS pathway of <i>Chromobacterium violaceum</i> through the design and synthesis of competitive inhibitors against the LuxI-synthase CviI. We have identified compounds that block QS, which we assess by tracking the production of the virulence factor violacein. Our goal is to develop an effective, potent inhibitor of CviI that has no impact on the growth of the bacterium.

Disruption of bacterial communication by targeting LuxI-type synthase CviI

255th National Meeting (2018)

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