Gallein, an anti-virulence treatment, has no effect on microbial biodiversity

The small molecule gallein, exhibits broad-spectrum polyphosphate kinase inhibition in priority pathogens. Gallein treatment successfully attenuated virulence factors of K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii including biofilm formation, surface associated motility, and offered protection against A. baumannii challenge in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of infection. When administered to a defined microbial community comprising over 30 commensal species of the human gut microbiome, gallein demonstrating the non-disruptive properties characteristic of anti-virulence treatments as microbial biodiversity was not adversely influenced. Together, these results further emphasize that gallein as a promising avenue for the development of broad-spectrum anti-virulence therapeutics