Antimicrobial compounds

1. A method of preparing and identifying an extract that modulates the growth or replication of a microorganism, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) incubating a first compound and a second compound in the presence of at least one oxygenase to produce the extract;

wherein the first and second compounds are independently selected from the group consisting of indole, indene, isoindoline, 2-azaindole, 3-azaindole, 4-azaindole, 5-azaindole, 6-azaindole, 7-azaindole, benzimidazole, benzamidazoline, imidazopyridine, 4-azabenzamidazole, 5-azabenzamidazole, 6-azabenzamidazole, anthranil, benzisoxazole, and benzoxazole, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzothiazole, benzoisothiophene, quinoline, isoquinoline, and quinozoline; optionally substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents;

wherein the at least one oxygenase comprises a toluene monooxygenase;

(b) contacting the microorganism with the extract; and

(c) determining a level of growth or replication of the microorganism;

wherein a difference in the level of growth or replication of the microorganism as compared to the level in a control identifies that the extract modulates the growth or replication of the microorganism.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second compounds are independently selected from the group consisting of mono- or poly-substituted indole, indene, isoindoline, 2-azaindole, 3-azaindole, 4-azaindole, 5-azaindole, 6-azaindole, 7-azaindole, benzimidazole, benzamidazoline, imidazopyridine, 4-azabenzamidazole, 5-azabenzamidazole, 6-azabenzamidazole, anthranil, benzisoxazole, benzoxazole, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzothiazole, benzoisothiophene, quinoline, isoquinoline, and quinozoline; substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium, virus, fungus, or protozoan.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a Gram positive or Gram negative bacterium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is M. smegmatis or B. subtilis.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is M. tuberculosis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is multidrug resistant or extensively drug resistant M. tuberculosis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxygenase is a toluene-4-monooxygenase.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

generating one or more test compounds, wherein the first compound is oxidized by the at least one oxygenase to generate at least one first oxidized product, and the second compound is oxidized by the at least one oxygenase to generate at least one second oxidized product; further wherein the at least one first oxidized product and the at least one second oxidized product react to generate one or more test compounds;

wherein the first compound is indole optionally substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents, and the second compound is selected from the group consisting of indole, indene, isoindoline, 2-azaindole, 3-azaindole, 4-azaindole, 5-azaindole, 6-azaindole, 7-azaindole, benzimidazole, benzamidazoline, imidazopyridine, 4-azabenzamidazole, 5-azabenzamidazole, 6-azabenzamidazole, anthranil, benzisoxazole, and benzoxazole, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzothiazole, benzoisothiophene, quinoline, isoquinoline, and quinozoline; optionally substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents;

contacting the microorganism with the one or more test compounds; and

determining a level of growth or replication of the microorganism;

wherein a difference in the level of growth or replication of the microorganism as compared to the level in a control identifies that the one or more test compounds modulate the growth or replication of the microorganism.

10. A method of preparing and identifying a test compounds that modulate the growth or replication of a microorganism, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) incubating a first compound and a second compound in the presence of at least one oxygenase to produce an extract;

wherein the first compound is indole optionally substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents, and the second compound is selected from the group consisting of indole, indene, isoindoline, 2-azaindole, 3-azaindole, 4-azaindole, 5-azaindole, 6-azaindole, 7-azaindole, benzimidazole, benzamidazoline, imidazopyridine, 4-azabenzamidazole, 5-azabenzamidazole, 6-azabenzamidazole, anthranil, benzisoxazole, and benzoxazole, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzothiazole, benzoisothiophene, quinoline, isoquinoline, and quinozoline; optionally substituted with at least one —OH, —CH 3 , —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —F, —CI, or —Br substituents;

wherein the at least one oxygenase comprises a toluene monooxygenase;

(b) generating one or more test compounds within the extract, wherein the first compound is oxidized by the at least one oxygenase to generate at least one first oxidized product, and the second compound is oxidized by the at least one oxygenase to generate at least one second oxidized product; further wherein the at least one first oxidized product and the at least one second oxidized product react to generate one or more test compounds;

(c) contacting the microorganism with the extract;

(d) determining a level of growth or replication of the microorganism;

wherein a difference in the level of growth or replication of the microorganism as compared to the level in a control identifies that the extract modulates the growth or replication of the microorganism;

(e) isolating the one or more test compounds from the extract;

(f) contacting the microorganism with the one or more test compounds; and

(g) determining a level of growth or replication of the microorganism;

wherein a difference in the level of growth or replication of the microorganism as compared to the level in a control identifies that the test compound that modulates the growth or replication of the microorganism.