The bacterial communication system and its interference as an antivirulence strategy

Humans and pathogenic bacteria have been at war since antiquity. The antibiotics aim to kill the pathogen but the intense selection pressure induces the development of antibiotic resistance. The pharmaceutical industry is reluctant to invest further in the development of antibiotics due to their inevitable glum future. Innovative antivirulence therapies that attempt to disarm the pathogens can be a diplomatic way to handle infectious diseases without inciting the development of resistance. Bacteria communicate with each other to bring about density-dependent community behavior, a phenomenon called quorum sensing (QS), which controls virulence, besides other behaviors. Targeting the quorum-sensing system (QSS) to disarm the bacteria is an appealing antivirulence approach since it applies lesser selection pressure to develop resistance. However, the optimal utilization of this strategy in practice requires a deeper understanding of the social dynamics in bacterial communication, ranging from the social network of neighboring bacteria in the community to interconnections of their QS networks that introduce redundancy. Here, we summarize how the bacteria talk—between and beyond species, the antivirulence strategies that block quorum sensing, and their possible use in therapeutics. We enumerate some practical applications, with an eye on some reports of resistance to anti-QS compounds. This exciting antivirulence strategy might be the much needed “shot in the arm” for the deteriorating investments in the pharmaceutical industry and dealing with the economic and health burden of infectious diseases.