2-Aminoimidazoles Inhibit Mycobacterium abscessus Biofilms in a Zinc-Dependent Manner

Biofilm growth is thought to be a significant obstacle to the successful treatment of infections. A search for agents capable of inhibiting biofilms led to our interest in 2-aminoimidazoles and related scaffolds, which have proven to display antibiofilm properties against a number of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including and . The screening of a library of 30 compounds led to the identification of a compound, AB-2-29, which inhibits the formation of biofilms with an IC (the concentration required to inhibit 50% of biofilm formation) in the range of 12.5 to 25 μM. Interestingly, AB-2-29 appears to chelate zinc, and its antibiofilm activity is potentiated by the addition of zinc to the culture medium. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that AB-2-29 acts through a distinct mechanism from those reported to date for 2-aminoimidazole compounds.