Turning off Bacillus cereus quorum sensing system with peptidic analogs

Abstract

We explored quenching of the PlcR–PapR quorum-sensing system in Bacillus cereus. We generated PapR₇-peptidic derivatives that inhibit this system and thus the production of virulence factors, reflected by a loss in hemolytic activity, without affecting bacterial growth. To our knowledge, these peptides represent the first potent synthetic inhibitors of quorum-sensing in B. cereus.