N,N'-alkylated Imidazolium-derivatives act as quorum-sensing inhibitors targeting the Pectobacterium atrosepticum-induced symptoms on potato tubers

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2013-10, Vol.14 (10), p.19976-19986
• Main Authors: des Essarts, Yannick Raoul, Sabbah, Mohamad, Comte, Arnaud, Soulère, Laurent, Queneau, Yves, Dessaux, Yves, Hélias, Valérie, Faure, Denis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biosensing Techniques; Biosensors; Chemical Sciences; Electronic mail systems; Enzymes; N-acylhomoserine lactone; Organic chemistry; Pathogens; Pectobacterium; Pectobacterium - drug effects; Pectobacterium - genetics; Plant Tubers - microbiology; potato tuber; Quorum Sensing - drug effects; quorum-sensing; quorum-sensing inhibitor; soft-rot; Solanum tuberosum - microbiology; Virulence; Virulence - drug effects; Virulence - genetics
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms141019976

Bacteria belonging to the Pectobacterium genus are the causative agents of the blackleg and soft-rot diseases that affect potato plants and tubers worldwide. In Pectobacterium, the expression of the virulence genes is controlled by quorum-sensing (QS) and N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). In this work, we screened a chemical library of QS-inhibitors (QSIs) and AHL-analogs to find novel QSIs targeting the virulence of Pectobacterium. Four N,N'-bisalkylated imidazolium salts were identified as QSIs; they were active at the µM range. In potato tuber assays, two of them were able to decrease the severity of the symptoms provoked by P. atrosepticum. This work extends the range of the QSIs acting on the Pectobacterium-induced soft-rot disease.