Quorum sensing (QS), a cell-density based mechanism utilized by bacteria to regulate group-related phenotypes, has attracted considerable attention as a means to attenuate bacterial pathogenesis. Many Gram-positive bacterial species utilize peptide pheromones to induce QS responses and initiate pathogenic phenotypes, such as competence, biofilm formation and virulence factor production. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a notorious human pathogen that utilized the competence regulon QS circuitry to acquire antibiotic resistance genes from the environment and initiate its attack on the human host. The competence regulon in S. pneumoniae is centered on a peptide signal termed the competence stimulating peptide (CSP). Our group develops peptidomimetic CSP-based QS modulators, apply them to study QS in S. pneumoniae as well as to attenuate virulence in this prevalent human pathogen, and presented here are our most recent results.

Designing peptidomimetics that target the competence regulon in Streptococcus pneumoniae

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.