Curvularin

Curvularin is a 12-membered macrolactone polyketide produced by various fungi including Penicillium and Phoma species. It selectively antagonizes the RhlR quorum-sensing regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa at low micromolar concentrations, suppressing pyocyanin and rhamnolipid production without impairing bacterial growth. By targeting RhlR rather than LasR, curvularin reduces virulence even in lasR-mutant strains and attenuates pathogenicity in Caenorhabditis elegans infection models. Beyond quorum-sensing inhibition, curvularin and its derivatives display antibacterial and cytotoxic activities, making it a valuable scaffold for anti-virulence drug development and quorum-sensing research.