Inhibition of quorum sensing-mediated processes in bacteria

1. An isolated compound characterized by its ability to bind to Vibrio harveyi LuxN at the autoinducer-1 (AI-1) binding site of LuxN, wherein said compound is of the structures from the group consisting of:

2. A method of disrupting detection of acyl-homoserine lactone-type autoinducer in Gram-negative bacteria comprising contacting the bacteria with the compound of claim 1 .

3. A pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient or diluent.

4. A bacterial biofilm-inhibiting composition comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 and DMSO.

5. A method of treating a bacterial infection of Gram-negative bacteria, comprising administering to a subject having a bacterial infection, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 , wherein the bacteria is of a type that controls virulence factors by quorum sensing.

6. A method of controlling growth of quorum sensing Gram-negative bacteria attached to a solid surface, comprising exposing the bacteria to a composition comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 , in an amount that affects biofilm formation.

7. A method of controlling virulence factor expression in Gram-negative bacteria comprising contacting the bacteria with a composition comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 .

8. A method of preventing biofilm formation comprising administering the compound of claim 1 to a surface.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the surface is a solid material.

10. A method of inhibiting quorum sensing-mediated activity in Gram-negative bacteria comprising contacting the bacteria with the compound of claim 1 .

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the activity is pathogenicity.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the bacterial species is selected from the group consisting of V. harveyi and C. violaceum.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the bacterial species is Chromobacterium violaceum.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the bacteria are pathogenic to humans or animals.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the bacteria are pathogenic to plants.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the bacteria are pathogenic to marine life.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the activity is bioluminescence, siderophore production, type III secretion, or metalloprotease production.

18. A method of inhibiting bacterial infection of a host comprising contacting the bacteria with the compound of claim 1 , wherein the bacteria are Gram-negative quorum sensing bacteria.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein the contacting is with a medical device that is coated with one or more of the compounds.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the medical device is a catheter.

21. A method of disrupting detection of acyl-homoserine lactone-type autoinducer in Gram-negative bacteria comprising contacting the bacteria with a compound whose structure is

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the contacting comprises administering to a subject having a bacterial infection a therapeutically effective amount of the compound, wherein the bacteria is of a type that controls virulence factors by quorum sensing.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the bacteria are attached to a solid surface and the contacting comprises exposing the bacteria to a composition comprising the compound in an amount that affects biofilm formation.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the compound is applied to a surface in an amount that affects bacterial biofilm formation such that bacteria contacting the surface are inhibited from forming a biofilm.

25. The method of claim 21 that inhibits bacterial pathogenicity, siderophore production, type III secretion, or metalloprotease production.

26. A method of inhibiting bacterial infection of a host comprising contacting the bacteria with a compound whose structure is

wherein the bacteria are gram-negative quorum sensing bacteria.