Quorum sensing is a regulatory system used by bacteria to control gene expression in response to increased cell density. The control of bacterial infection by quenching the quorum sensing system of bacteria is a promising research area. The expression of specific target genes, such as transcriptional regulators belonging to the LuxIR protein family, is coordinated by the synthesis of diffusible acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules. N-butyryl-L-Homocysteine thio-lactone is an analog of N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone, a small, diffusible signaling molecule involved in quorum sensing, thereby controlling gene expression and cellular metabolism . N-butyryl-L-homocysteine thiolactone induces violacein expression in Viola viola mutants that normally fail to produce AHL.
