Synthesis and Potential of Autoinducer-2 and Analogs to Manipulate Inter-Species Quorum Sensing

Abstract

Quorum sensing (QS) is enabled by the production of signalling molecules called autoinducers, whose presence in the environment modulates the behavior of bacterial populations. Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is unique as it is recognized by different species of bacteria and fosters signalling across different species. To further understand QS mechanisms and to discover potential novel therapeutics based on the modulation of bacterial behavior many analogs have been synthesized. This review aims to provide a critical analysis of the state-of-the-art of the synthesis of AI-2 and its analogs. It serves as a non-exhaustive consolidation of previous studies of analogs, focusing on the synthetic approaches and the structure-activity relationship conclusions drawn after the analysis of the chemical libraries of the research groups involved in the field. This article is intended to be a strong foundation for the rational planning of synthetic strategies of analogs with specific bioactivities.