Development of quorum-sensing inhibitors targeting the fsr system of enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus spp. can cause illnesses such as bacteremia, endocarditis, urinary tract infections, posttreatment endophthalmitis, and endodontic infections (Murray 2000; Marothi et al. 2005). Medical treatment of these infectious diseases depends largely on bactericidal or bacteriostatic antibiotics. However, frequent use of such antibiotics has led to the development of drug-resistant bacterial strains, which are difficult to treat (Marothi et al. 2005; Murray 2000). As a result, the blockage of bacterial quorum-sensing (QS) systems has attracted attention owing to its potential to attenuate bacterial virulence without inducing bactericidal pressures that lead to drug resistance. This approach, called quorum quenching (QQ), can be undertaken partially or completely independently of antibiotic treatment. Among several QQ strategies, the use of QS inhibitors (QSIs), which are small molecules that have no adverse effects on bacteria, offers advantages in terms of drug delivery and decreased damage to commensal microbiota.