Claims
- 1. A method for regulating a bacterium, comprising:
identifying a bacterium that does not produce autoinducer-2; and contacting the bacterium with an amount of an autoinducer-2 effector that is sufficient to regulate the bacterium.
- 2. The method of claim 1 in which the bacterium belongs to a genus selected from the group consisting of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia.
- 3. The method of claim 2 in which the bacterium is Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cepacia.
- 4. The method of claim 1 in which the bacterium is in the presence of autoinducer-2 or an autoinducer-2 agonist.
- 5. The method of claim 4 in which the autoinducer-2 or autoinducer-2 agonist is secreted by a second bacterium.
- 6. The method of claim 4 in which the bacterium senses the autoinducer-2 or autoinducer-2 agonist.
- 7. The method of claim 6 in which the autoinducer-2 or autoinducer-2 agonist comprises a furanone.
- 8. The method of claim 7 in which the furanone is 3(2H)-4-hydroxy-5-methylfuranone.
- 9. The method of claim 1 in which the bacterium is in the presence of eukaryotic cells.
- 10. The method of claim 9 in which the eukaryotic cells are immune system cells.
- 11. The method of claim 10 in which the bacterium causes apoptosis of the immune system cells.
- 12. The method of claim 1 in which the autoinducer-2 effector is an autoinducer-2 antagonist.
- 13. The method of claim 12 in which the autoinducer-2 antagonist comprises a cyclopentenone group.
- 14. The method of claim 13 in which the autoinducer-2 antagonist is a 2-alkyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one having from about 6 to about 14 carbons.
- 15. The method of claim 14 in which the autoinducer-2 antagonist is 2-pentyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one.
- 16. The method of claim 1 in which the autoinducer-2 effector is an autoinducer-2 agonist.
- 17. A method for treating a subject, comprising:
identifying a subject infected with a bacterium that does not produce autoinducer-2; and administering an autoinducer-2 effector to the subject in an amount that is effective to reduce the severity of the infection.
- 18. The method of claim 17 in which the subject is a human.
- 19. The method of claim 18 in which the subject is suffering from cystic fibrosis.
- 20. The method of claim 18 in which the subject is suffering from septic shock.
- 21. The method of claim 19 in which the bacterium belongs to a genus selected from the group consisting of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia.
- 22. The method of claim 21 in which the bacterium is Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cepacia.
- 23. A method for treating cystic fibrosis, comprising:
identifying a human suffering from cystic fibrosis who is infected with a first bacterium that does not produce autoinducer-2 and a second bacterium that produces a compound having autoinducer-2 activity; and administering an autoinducer-2 antagonist to the subject in an amount that is effective to reduce the severity of the infection caused by the first bacterium.
- 24. The method of claim 23 in which the first bacterium is Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- 25. The method of claim 23 in which the compound having autoinducer-2 activity is autoinducer-2.
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/292,543, filed on May 21, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60292543 |
May 2001 |
US |