Profiling structural diversity and activity of 2-alkyl-4(1<i>H</i>)-quinolone <i>N</i>-oxides of <i>Pseudomonas</i> and <i>Burkholderia</i>

Abstract

We synthesized all major saturated and unsaturated 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone N-oxides of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia, quantified their native production levels and characterized their antibiotic activities against competing Staphylococcus aureus. We demonstrate that quinolone core methylation and position of unsaturation in the alkyl-chain dictate antibiotic potency which supports the proposed mechanism of action.