Cyclic Diguanylate G-Quadruplex Inducer-Nitric Oxide Donor Conjugate as a Bifunctional Antibiofilm Agent and Antibacterial Synergist against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a Hyperbiofilm Phenotype

Antibiotic resistance caused by biofilm formation is a clinical challenge. Nitric oxide (NO) can effectively disperse a mature biofilm and can also synergistically influence the level of cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP), a universal secondary messenger that plays an important role in biofilm formation in bacteria. Based on our previous finding that c-di-GMP G-quadruplex inducers are effective biofilm formation inhibitors, we designed and synthesized a c-di-GMP G-quadruplex inducer-NO donor conjugate (A11@NO) as a bifunctional antibiofilm agent after obtaining the c-di-GMP G-quadruplex inducer (A11), which has an amino group capable of binding to a nitroso group (NO donor). The conjugate A11@NO showed better biofilm inhibition efficiency than A11, and it can also eradicate mature biofilm. Additionally, it exhibited good antimicrobial synergism against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and helped elevate the bactericidal efficiency of tobramycin against biofilm-formed bacteria. In combination with tobramycin, A11@NO also improved the survival rate of Caenorhabditis elegans in a hyperbiofilm environment.