2-Heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone (PQS), a compound
from P. aeruginosa, functions as both a quorum sensing
(QS) regulator and a potent iron chelator to induce expression of
pyoverdine and pyochelin which are involved in high-affinity iron
transport systems. A potential dual-acting antibiofilm strategy requires
molecules designed to interfere with iron uptake and the QS system
of P. aeruginosa. A series of 2-substituted 3-hydroxy-1,6-dimethylpyridin-4-ones
have been designed, synthesized, and tested as biofilm inhibitors
of P. aeruginosa. One compound, N-((1,3,6-trimethyl-4-oxo-1,4-dihydropyridin-2-yl)methyl)hexanamide
(10d), exhibits 68.67% biofilm inhibitory activity at
20 μM. Further mechanistic studies have confirmed that this
compound not only inhibits the QS systems of P. aeruginosa but also acts as an iron chelator to compete strongly with pyoverdine,
causing iron deficiency in bacteria. The pyoverdine receptor FpvA
was revealed as the target of 10d by the Pvds mutant strain, fpvA-overexpressed strain, and in silico studies.