By Aditya Raj, Dr. Natasha Kirienko

Department of Biology, Duke University

Department of Biology, Rice University

doi.org/10.55894/dv2.11

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic life-threatening bacterial pathogen, uses quorum sensing signals tomodulate the expression of virulent genes. These bacteria exhibit high levels of antimicrobial resistance, whichreduces the effectiveness of current antibiotics, highlighting the need for treatments that do not induce selectivepressure. A comprehensive understanding of the factors inhibiting quorum sensing inP. aeruginosa is necessary todesign an alternative therapeutic strategy for long-term treatments that do not function by traditional bactericidalor bacteriostatic mechanisms. This manuscript is a literature review highlighting a novel, naturally occurringmolecule with a high potential to inhibit quorum sensing and virulence. It covers methods by which the anti-virulent nature of this molecule can be verified and how it can be used as a supplement to traditional antibioticsand as a possible new stand-alone medicine.