Expression of Klebsiella sp. lactonase ahlK gene is growth-phase, cell-population density and N-acylhomoserine lactone independent

It has been previously reported that Klebsiella sp. strain Se14 possessed broad degradation activity against various types of N-acyl homoserine lactone molecules which are used by most proteobacteria as quorum sensing molecules. In this work, the quorum quenching gene of Klebsiella sp. strain Se14, ahlK, has been studied. It is reported here for the first time that the expression of Klebsiella sp. strain Se14 ahlK gene is independent on the growth phase, bacterial population density, or addition or repletion of N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl) homoserine lactone into the growth medium.