produces 2-alkylquinolone derivatives important for host virulence and competition with bacteria that employ naphthoquinones for aerobic respiration.

Melioidosis is caused by , an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that inhabits soil and water in tropical and subtropical regions. infections often occur following contact with contaminated water or soil or by inhalation of contaminated dust and water droplets. There is limited knowledge about how is able to survive in harsh environmental conditions and compete with the microbes that inhabit these niches.

Inhibiting quinolone biosynthesis of .

2-Alkylquinolones are important signalling molecules of species. We developed a substrate-based chemical probe against the central quinolone biosynthesis enzyme HmqD and applied it in competitive profiling experiments to discover the first known HmqD inhibitors. The most potent inhibitors quantitatively blocked quinolone production in cultures with single-digit micromolar efficacy.