Article
Microbiology
Nicole E. Smalley, Amy L. Schaefer, Kyle L. Asfahl, Crystal Perez, E. Peter Greenberg, Ajai A. Dandekar
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of the QS regulon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during long-term growth when cells require some but not all the functions activated by QS. The research reveals that the QS-regulon in P. aeruginosa can undergo a reductive adaptation in response to continuous QS-dependent growth, providing insights into the variability in the size and content of the QS regulon in different strains.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Shamas Tabraiz, Burhan Shamurad, Evangelos Petropoulos, Marcos Quintela-Baluja, Alex Charlton, Jan Dolfing, Paul J. Sallis
Summary: The novel QQ strain Acinetobacter guillouiae ST01 showed high activity in reducing quorum sensing in a membrane bioreactor by decreasing AHL concentrations in the sludge and biofilm. It also significantly reduced polysaccharide and protein levels, leading to a decrease in fouling rates in the MBR. These results suggest that A. guillouiae ST01 is a promising candidate for biofouling control in wastewater treatment.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
I-Chieh Chien, Chiao-Yun Chu, Chien-Yu Huang
Summary: Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are widely used in wastewater treatment due to their high-quality effluent production. However, biofilm formation on membrane surfaces remains a major limitation of this technique. Bacterial quorum quenching (QQ) has been proven successful in controlling biofouling in MBRs. This study isolated potential QQ bacteria and investigated their degradation rates against eight different AHLs. The results showed that four isolates exhibited consistent AHL removal capabilities, indicating their potential for mitigating biofilm formation on MBR membranes.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lara Serrano-Aguirre, Rodrigo Velasco-Bucheli, Begona Garcia-Alvarez, Ana Saborido, Miguel Arroyo, Isabel de la Mata
Summary: This study identified a novel N-acylhomoserine lactone acylase from Actinoplanes utahensis, which can hydrolyze and synthesize various natural compounds, showing potential as a quorum quenching agent. This enzyme inhibits quorum sensing processes and can efficiently synthesize AHLs, highlighting its potential for the development of new antimicrobials.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhe Zhou, Xiaozhen Wu, Jiayi Li, Yiyin Zhang, Yaohua Huang, Wenping Zhang, Yu Shi, Junxia Wang, Shaohua Chen
Summary: Quorum sensing (QS) is a microbial communication mechanism that regulates virulence factor production in pathogens. Quorum quenching (QQ) can block QS-mediated microbial infections. This study identified a novel QQ strain, XN-36, which can effectively degrade AHL and reduce the disease severity caused by P. carotovorum in host plants.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Melanie Gonzales, Laure Plener, Jean Armengaud, Nicholas Armstrong, Eric Chabriere, David Daude
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of Quorum sensing in Burkholderia thailandensis using an enzyme-based quorum quenching strategy. The disruption of quorum sensing greatly affects bacterial behavior, including motility, proteolytic activity, and antimicrobial molecule production. Furthermore, the study shows that quorum sensing disruption significantly enhances the bactericidal activity against fungi and yeast. These findings are of prime interest for understanding the virulence of Burkholderia species and developing alternative treatments.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhixuan Feng, Xin Lu, Congli Chen, Yang Huo, Dandan Zhou
Summary: Fungal bulking can be controlled by regulating intercellular communication between fungi and bacteria. In this study, three signal molecules related to Penicillium fungal bulking under low-pH stress were identified. The addition of these molecules successfully inhibited mycelial formation and improved the settleability of activated sludge. Transcriptome analysis revealed the regulation of genes related to signal transduction, mycelium synthesis, and metabolic pathways.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiyuan Xu, Shuai Wang, Chengxuan Li, Jingxi Li, Fenglei Gao, Li Zheng
Summary: Microplastics in the oceans are a new type of pollutant with complex biofilms. This study investigated the diversity and biological characteristics of quorum sensing bacteria in microplastic-associated biofilms, and found that these bacteria have strong biofilm-forming capacity and potential to exacerbate adverse environmental effects.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Xueping Wang, Deshuang Yu, Guanghui Chen, Chengju Liu, Ao Xu, Zhihao Tang
Summary: This paper discusses the bacterial communication mechanism based on QS and the environmental factors affecting QS, compares QS inhibition strategies, and explores the role and prospects of QQ in long-term operation systems.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Xixian Zhu, Wen-Juan Chen, Kalpana Bhatt, Zhe Zhou, Yaohua Huang, Lian-Hui Zhang, Shaohua Chen, Junxia Wang
Summary: With the increasing resistance of undesirable bacteria to traditional antibiotics, the need to discover alternative treatments is urgent. Quorum sensing is a novel bacterial communication system mediated by signaling molecules called autoinducers. Quorum quenching has been developed as a strategy to inhibit quorum sensing and control resistant bacteria. This review introduces different signaling molecules, elucidates the mechanisms of quorum quenching, and summarizes the applications and advantages of this strategy.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
You Mit Prohim, Roent Dune A. Cayetano, Parthiban Anburajan, Nguyen Tang Thau, Sungmi Kim, Hyun-Suk Oh
Summary: Biomethane recovered through anaerobic digestion (AD) is a renewable and cost-effective alternative energy source that can help address rising energy demands. This study investigates the role of quorum sensing (QS) in AD systems and finds that the addition of signaling molecules (AHLs) enhances methane yield and promotes microbial growth and cell aggregation, ultimately improving biomethane synthesis.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Fairouz El Aichar, Andrea Muras, Ana Parga, Ana Otero, Farida Nateche
Summary: The study aimed to screen Bacillus strains with broad-spectrum quorum quenching (QQ) activity against N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) from Algeria. A total of 94 halotolerant strains were tested for QQ, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activities. Strains DZ16 and DZ17 exhibited interesting properties with potential applications in probiotics and infectious disease control.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sahana Vasudevan, Parthasarathy Srinivasan, Prasanna Neelakantan, John Bosco Balaguru Rayappan, Adline Princy Solomon
Summary: In this study, a novel photoluminescence-based assay using cysteamine-capped titanium oxide nanoparticles was developed for the rapid and sensitive diagnosis of microbial infections. The system showed a maximum relative response of 98% for AHLs produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a linear detection range of 10-160 nM in simulated host urine. The efficacy and specificity of the system in detecting AHLs produced by P. aeruginosa were confirmed in a temporal manner.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Pamela Ruiz, Daniela Sepulveda, Jose Miguel Vidal, Romina Romero, David Contreras, Javier Barros, Carlos Carrasco, Nathaly Ruiz-Tagle, Alex Romero, Homero Urrutia, Cristian Oliver
Summary: The study detected AHLs produced by P. salmonis using a fluorescent biosensor system and GC/MS. The results showed the presence of AHL-type molecule in both P. salmonis strains and suggested a possible alternate pathway for AHL synthesis. This report is the first to describe the type of AHLs produced by P. salmonis.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xu Wang, Cancan Jiang, Danhua Wang, Yang Yang, Lijing Fan, Shengjun Xu, Xuliang Zhuang
Summary: Free nitrous acid (FNA) is widely used for wastewater management by altering sludge characteristic and function. This study investigated the role of collective behaviors in FNA treatment and revealed the impact of FNA on sludge morphology and composition.
Article
Microbiology
Kyle L. Asfahl, Nicole E. Smalley, Alexandria P. Chang, Ajai A. Dandekar
Summary: In cystic fibrosis patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are a significant cause of disease and death. This study focuses on the regulation of virulence factors through cell-cell signaling mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). The results reveal common genetic characteristics of isolates from chronic CF infections and identify a set of genes regulated by RhlR, which could serve as therapeutic targets in the future.
Article
Microbiology
Zehui Suo, Dale A. Cummings, Aaron W. Puri, Amy L. Schaefer, E. Peter Greenberg
Summary: We report a Mesorhizobium japonicum quorum sensing (QS) system involving a novel acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal. This system is known to be involved in root nodule symbiosis with host plants. The chemistry of the newly described QS signal indicated that there may be a dedicated cellular enzyme involved in its synthesis in addition to the types known for production of other AHLs. We report that an additional gene is required for synthesis of the unique signal, and this is a three-component QS circuit as opposed to the canonical two-component AHL QS circuits. The signaling system is exquisitely selective, which may be important in complex microbial communities around host plants and may have various synthetic biology applications.
Article
Microbiology
Samantha Wellington Miranda, E. Peter Greenberg
Summary: In this study, the impact of signal sensitivity on gene regulation and bacterial fitness was investigated using two variants of the LasR quorum sensing receptor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The findings suggest that altered signal sensitivity affects gene expression and fitness during competition, highlighting the delicate balance between group behaviors regulated by quorum sensing and bacterial fitness.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Maxim Kostylev, Nicole E. Smalley, Man Hou Chao, E. Peter Greenberg
Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing to regulate its virulence. This study identifies MexT as a regulator that inhibits the RhlI-R circuit and PQS circuit, leading to reduced virulence in a nematode worm infection model.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Nicole E. Smalley, Amy L. Schaefer, Kyle L. Asfahl, Crystal Perez, E. Peter Greenberg, Ajai A. Dandekar
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of the QS regulon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during long-term growth when cells require some but not all the functions activated by QS. The research reveals that the QS-regulon in P. aeruginosa can undergo a reductive adaptation in response to continuous QS-dependent growth, providing insights into the variability in the size and content of the QS regulon in different strains.