Bacterial biofilms are as eriousg lobal health concern, often responsible for persistent infections. New strategies to prevent and treat bacterial infections by eradication of the biofilms are urgently needed. An ovel rutheniumbased compound is reportedi nt his study that functions as both ab oronic acid-decorated photosensitizer (PS) and a light-triggeredn itric oxide (NO) releasinga gent.T he compound can selectively attach to the bacterial membrane and biofilms and it is highly potent at eradicating Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms through the simultaneousr eleaseo fNO and reactive oxygen species (ROS).T he compound,w hich is more effective than clinicala ntibiotic tobramycin, also has excellent bacterial specificity and shows no significant cytotoxicityt oh uman cells. The results reveal potential applications of this innovative dual-functional photoactivated ruthenium compound to combat bacterial biofilm infections.

Catabolite control protein A is a highly conserved transcriptional regulator in Gram-positive bacteria. Herein, we report a specific small-molecule inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureus catabolite control protein A (SaCcpA). The compound abrogates the regulatory function of SaCcpA, resulting in decreased expression of an S. aureus major cytotoxin, α-hemolysin. The observed synergism between the compound and antibiotics against S. aureus suggests its potential application in a combination therapy to combat antimicrobial resistance.

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Upon light irradiation, a novel dual‐functional ruthenium compound releases nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). NO induces Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm dispersal and liberates bacteria. The free‐floating bacteria are subsequently sterilized by ROS. Therefore, the compound can readily eradicate mature biofilms at low concentration, which reduces cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Z.‐W. Mao, W. Xia, et al. on page 5453.