scholarly journals The ComX Quorum Sensing Peptide of Bacillus subtilis Affects Biofilm Formation Negatively and Sporulation Positively

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihael Špacapan ◽  
Tjaša Danevčič ◽  
Polonca Štefanic ◽  
Michael Porter ◽  
Nicola R. Stanley-Wall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fibrous Matrix ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Biofilm Development

Quorum sensing (QS) is often required for the formation of bacterial biofilms and is a popular target of biofilm control strategies. Previous studies implicate the ComQXPA quorum sensing system of Bacillus subtilis as a promoter of biofilm formation. Here, we report that ComX signaling peptide deficient mutants form thicker and more robust pellicle biofilms that contain chains of cells. We confirm that ComX positively affects the transcriptional activity of the PepsA promoter, which controls the synthesis of the major matrix polysaccharide. In contrast, ComX negatively controls the PtapA promoter, which drives the production of TasA, a fibrous matrix protein. Overall, the biomass of the mutant biofilm lacking ComX accumulates more monosaccharide and protein content than the wild type. We conclude that this QS phenotype might be due to extended investment into growth rather than spore development. Consistent with this, the ComX deficient mutant shows a delayed activation of the pre-spore specific promoter, PspoIIQ, and a delayed, more synchronous commitment to sporulation. We conclude that ComX mediated early commitment to sporulation of the wild type slows down biofilm formation and modulates the coexistence of multiple biological states during the early stages of biofilm development.

scholarly journals N-Octanoylhomoserine lactone signalling mediated by the BpsI–BpsR quorum sensing system plays a major role in biofilm formation of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (4) ◽  
pp. 1176-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshamal Mihiranga Gamage ◽  
Guanghou Shui ◽  
Markus R. Wenk ◽  
Kim Lee Chua
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Burkholderia Pseudomallei ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Tandem Ms ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Acylhomoserine Lactone ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Sensing Systems ◽  
Quorum Sensing System

The genome of Burkholderia pseudomallei encodes three acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing systems, each comprising an AHL synthase and a signal receptor/regulator. The BpsI–BpsR system produces N-octanoylhomoserine lactone (C8HL) and is positively auto-regulated by its AHL product. The products of the remaining two systems have not been identified. In this study, tandem MS was used to identify and quantify the AHL species produced by three clinical B. pseudomallei isolates – KHW, K96243 and H11 – three isogenic KHW mutants that each contain a null mutation in an AHL synthase gene, and recombinant Escherichia coli heterologously expressing each of the three B. pseudomallei AHL synthase genes. BpsI synthesized predominantly C8HL, which accounted for more than 95 % of the extracellular AHLs produced in stationary-phase KHW cultures. The major products of BpsI2 and BpsI3 were N-(3-hydroxy-octanoyl)homoserine lactone (OHC8HL) and N-(3-hydroxy-decanoyl)homoserine lactone, respectively, and their corresponding transcriptional regulators, BpsR2 and BpsR3, were capable of driving reporter gene expression in the presence of these cognate lactones. Formation of biofilm by B. pseudomallei KHW was severely impaired in mutants lacking either BpsI or BpsR but could be restored to near wild-type levels by exogenous C8HL. BpsI2 was not required, and BpsI3 was partially required for biofilm formation. Unlike the bpsI mutant, biofilm formation in the bpsI3 mutant could not be restored to wild-type levels in the presence of OHC8HL, the product of BpsI3. C8HL and OHC8HL had opposite effects on biofilm formation; exogenous C8HL enhanced biofilm formation in both the bpsI3 mutant and wild-type KHW while exogenous OHC8HL suppressed the formation of biofilm in the same strains. We propose that exogenous OHC8HL antagonizes biofilm formation in B. pseudomallei, possibly by competing with endogenous C8HL for binding to BpsR.

scholarly journals Role of the luxS Quorum-Sensing System in Biofilm Formation and Virulence of Staphylococcus epidermidis

2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 488-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Xu ◽  
Hualin Li ◽  
Cuong Vuong ◽  
Viveka Vadyvaloo ◽  
Jianping Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Staphylococcus Epidermidis ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Bacterial Pathogens ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Autoinducer 2 ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACT Nosocomial infections caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis are characterized by biofilm formation on implanted medical devices. Quorum-sensing regulation plays a major role in the biofilm development of many bacterial pathogens. Here, we describe luxS, a quorum-sensing system in staphylococci that has a significant impact on biofilm development and virulence. We constructed an isogenic ΔluxS mutant strain of a biofilm-forming clinical isolate of S. epidermidis and demonstrated that luxS signaling is functional in S. epidermidis. The mutant strain showed increased biofilm formation in vitro and enhanced virulence in a rat model of biofilm-associated infection. Genetic complementation and addition of autoinducer 2-containing culture filtrate restored the wild-type phenotype, demonstrating that luxS repressed biofilm formation through a cell-cell signaling mechanism based on autoinducer 2 secretion. Enhanced production of the biofilm exopolysaccharide polysaccharide intercellular adhesin in the mutant strain is presumably the major cause of the observed phenotype. The agr quorum-sensing system has previously been shown to impact biofilm development and biofilm-associated infection in a way similar to that of luxS, although by regulation of different factors. Our study indicates a general scheme of quorum-sensing regulation of biofilm development in staphylococci, which contrasts with that observed in many other bacterial pathogens.

scholarly journals Quorum sensing in Bacillus subtilis slows down biofilm formation by enabling sporulation bet hedging

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihael Spacapan ◽  
Tjaša Danevčič ◽  
Polonca Štefanic ◽  
Ines Mandic-Mulec
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Bet Hedging ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Master Regulator ◽  
Matrix Components ◽  
Sporulation Initiation ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
Biofilm Matrix

1.2ABSTRACTThe ComQXPA quorum sensing (QS) system of Bacillus subtilis, a Gram-positive, industrially relevant, endospore forming bacterium, promotes surfactin production. This lipopeptide increases transcription of several genes involved in biofilm matrix synthesis via the Spo0A-P master regulator. We hypothesized that the inactivation of the QS system will therefore result in decreased rates of floating biofilm formation. We find that this is not the case and that the QS deficient mutant forms pellicles with a faster rate and produces more biofilm matrix components than the wild type. As Spo0A-P is the master regulator of sporulation initiation we hypothesized that the ComQXPA dependent signaling promotes sporulation and consequently slows the growth rate of the wild type strain. Indeed, our results confirm that cells with the inactive QS initiate endospore formation in biofilms later and more synchronously than the wild type, as evidenced by spore frequencies and the PspoIIQ promoter activity. We argue, that the QS system acts as a switch that promotes stochastic sporulation initiation and consequently bet hedging behavior. By committing a subpopulation of cells to sporulation early during growth, wild type population grows slower and produces thinner biofilms but also assures better survival under stressful conditions.1.1IMPORTANCEBacillus subtilis is widely employed model organism to study biofilm formation and sporulation in Gram-positive bacteria. The ComQXPA quorum sensing (QS) system indirectly increases the transcription of genes involved in biofilm matrix formation, which predicts a positive role of this QS in biofilm development Here we show that QS mutants actually form more matrix components per pellicle than the wild type and that their pellicles are thicker and form with a faster rate. We explain this, by showing that cells with an inactive QS exhibit a delay in sporulation entry, which is also more synchronous relative to the wild type. We argue, that the ComQXPA QS system acts as a switch that contributes to the stochastic sporulation initiation and though this path promotes bet hedging behavior. This finding is important in terms of “quorum quenching” strategies aiming to down modulate biofilm development through inhibition of QS signaling and underscores the richness of QS regulated phenotypic outcomes among bacterial species.

Antibiofilm Effect of Adamantane Derivative against Staphylococcus aureus

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-67
Author(s):  
N.I. Hrynchuk ◽  
◽  
N.O. Vrynchanu ◽  
T.A. Buchtyarova ◽  
D.M. Dudikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Gentian Violet ◽  
Adamantane Derivative ◽  
Antibiofilm Activity ◽  
Antimicrobial Substances ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Quorum Sensing System

Currently, one of the most urgent problems in clinical practice is the antibiotic therapy ineffectiveness at chronic diseases treatment caused by biofilms-forming microorganisms. One of the ways to its solution is the search for new compounds with antibiofilm activity which can prevent the adhesion of microorganisms, disrupt the structure of the biofilm matrix and affect the Quorum sensing system. The aim of the study was to investigate adamantane derivative 1-[4-(1-adamantyl) phenoxy]-3-(N-benzyl,N-dimethylamino)-2-propanol chloride (KVM-97) antimicrobial activity mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Methods. The ability of the adamantane derivative KVM-97 to prevent S. aureus biofilm formation and to destroy previously formed biofilms has been tested on polystyrene plates by gentian violet sorption on these structures, followed by desorption with organic solvent and use of resazurin (redox indicator). The S. aureus cells viability in mature biofilms was evaluated with specific dyes for living (acridine orange) and dead (propidium iodide) cells. Lowry method was used to assess the effect of KVM-97 on the matrix components for the total protein contents determination, the polysaccharides were detected spectrophotometrically (using phenol and sulfuric acid), Bap-protein – by test with Congo red. Persisters’ subpopulation was detected by activation of the SOS response in bacteria when exposed to high concentrations of antimicrobial substances. Results. It was found that KVM-97 (the compound with the adamantyl radical) showed an antibiofilm effect against S. aureus, decreasing biofilm biomass: at the biofilm formation stage – by 22.5% and 75.0%, while in case of 2-day biofilms treatment – by 34.5% and 32.4% at 0.5 MIC and 5.0 MIC respectively. Compound KVM-97 was able to reduce the number of metabolically active S. aureus cells only at the stage of biofilm formation (reduction by 92.7 and 95.8% at 2.0 and 5.0 MIC). Obtained results indicated that this adamantane-containing compound did not affect the protein and polysaccharides contents of S. aureus biofilms matrix. The changes of Bap-protein level caused by KVM-97 were not statistically significant (p>0.05). It was shown that KVM-97 did not prevent the formation of metabolically inactive persister cells; their share was 0.71% of the control. Conclusions. Thus, adamantane-containing compound KVM-97 is able to prevent S. aureus biofilm formation, causing significant biofilms’ mass reduction, as well as lowering the viable cells number in them and destroying already formed biofilms. Its antibiofilm effects are not associated with matrix protein and polysaccharides synthesis impairments. Further thorough investigations are needed to establish the effect of this compound on eDNA synthesis, the Quorum sensing system, and the ica and arg genes expression of S. aureus responsible for biofilm formation.

scholarly journals LuxS/AI-2 Quorum Sensing System in Edwardsiella piscicida Promotes Biofilm Formation and Pathogenicity

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongcan Sun ◽  
Yu Li ◽  
Qian Luo ◽  
Jinjing Huang ◽  
Jiakang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Gene Mutant ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Edwardsiella Piscicida

ABSTRACT LuxS/AI-2 is an important quorum sensing system which affects the growth, biofilm formation, virulence, and metabolism of bacteria. LuxS is encoded by the luxS gene, but how this gene is associated with a diverse array of physiological activities in Edwardsiella piscicida (E. piscicida) is not known. Here, we constructed an luxS gene mutant strain, the △luxS strain, to identify how LuxS/AI-2 affects pathogenicity. The results showed that LuxS was not found in the luxS gene mutant strain, and this gene deletion decreased E. piscicida growth compared to that of the wild-type strain. Meanwhile, the wild-type strain significantly increased penetration and motility in mucin compared to levels with the △luxS strain. The 50% lethal dose (LD50) of the E. piscicida △luxS strain for zebrafish was significantly higher than that of the wild-type strain, which suggested that the luxS gene deletion could attenuate the strain’s virulence. The AI-2 activities of EIB202 were 56-fold higher than those in the △luxS strain, suggesting that the luxS gene promotes AI-2 production. Transcriptome results demonstrated that between cells infected with the △luxS strain and those infected with the wild-type strain 46 genes were significantly differentially regulated, which included 34 upregulated genes and 12 downregulated genes. Among these genes, the largest number were closely related to cell immunity and signaling systems. In addition, the biofilm formation ability of EIB202 was significantly higher than that of the △luxS strain. The supernatant of EIB202 increased the biofilm formation ability of the △luxS strain, which suggested that the luxS gene and its product LuxS enhanced biofilm formation in E. piscicida. All results indicate that the LuxS/AI-2 quorum sensing system in E. piscicida promotes its pathogenicity through increasing a diverse array of physiological activities.

scholarly journals Pseudomonas aeruginosa AlgR Represses the Rhl Quorum-Sensing System in a Biofilm-Specific Manner

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (21) ◽  
pp. 7752-7764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Morici ◽  
Alexander J. Carterson ◽  
Victoria E. Wagner ◽  
Anders Frisk ◽  
Jill R. Schurr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Deletion Strain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Specific Manner ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACT AlgR controls numerous virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including alginate, hydrogen cyanide production, and type IV pilus-mediated twitching motility. In this study, the role of AlgR in biofilms was examined in continuous-flow and static biofilm assays. Strain PSL317 (ΔalgR) produced one-third the biofilm biomass of wild-type strain PAO1. Complementation with algR, but not fimTU-pilVWXY1Y2E, restored PSL317 to the wild-type biofilm phenotype. Comparisons of the transcriptional profiles of biofilm-grown PAO1 and PSL317 revealed that a number of quorum-sensing genes were upregulated in the algR deletion strain. Measurement of rhlA::lacZ and rhlI::lacZ promoter fusions confirmed the transcriptional profiling data when PSL317 was grown as a biofilm, but not planktonically. Increased amounts of rhamnolipids and N-butyryl homoserine lactone were detected in the biofilm effluent but not the planktonic supernatants of the algR mutant. Additionally, AlgR specifically bound to the rhlA and rhlI promoters in mobility shift assays. Moreover, PAO1 containing a chromosomal mutated AlgR binding site in its rhlI promoter formed biofilms and produced increased amounts of rhamnolipids similarly to the algR deletion strain. These observations indicate that AlgR specifically represses the Rhl quorum-sensing system during biofilm growth and that such repression is necessary for normal biofilm development. These data also suggest that AlgR may control transcription in a contact-dependent or biofilm-specific manner.

scholarly journals Quorum Sensing System of Ruegeria mobilis Rm01 Controls Lipase and Biofilm Formation

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Su ◽  
Kaihao Tang ◽  
Jiwen Liu ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Yanfen Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Quorum Sensing System

scholarly journals Quorum Sensing Influences Burkholderia thailandensis Biofilm Development and Matrix Production

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (19) ◽  
pp. 2643-2650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boo Shan Tseng ◽  
Charlotte D. Majerczyk ◽  
Daniel Passos da Silva ◽  
Josephine R. Chandler ◽  
E. Peter Greenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Matrix Material ◽  
Close Relative ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Burkholderia Thailandensis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACTMembers of the genusBurkholderiaare known to be adept at biofilm formation, which presumably assists in the survival of these organisms in the environment and the host. Biofilm formation has been linked to quorum sensing (QS) in several bacterial species. In this study, we characterizedBurkholderia thailandensisbiofilm development under flow conditions and sought to determine whether QS contributes to this process.B. thailandensisbiofilm formation exhibited an unusual pattern: the cells formed small aggregates and then proceeded to produce mature biofilms characterized by “dome” structures filled with biofilm matrix material. We showed that this process was dependent on QS.B. thailandensishas three acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) QS systems (QS-1, QS-2, and QS-3). An AHL-negative strain produced biofilms consisting of cell aggregates but lacking the matrix-filled dome structures. This phenotype was rescued via exogenous addition of the three AHL signals. Of the threeB. thailandensisQS systems, we show that QS-1 is required for proper biofilm development, since abtaR1mutant, which is defective in QS-1 regulation, forms biofilms without these dome structures. Furthermore, our data show that the wild-type biofilm biomass, as well as the material inside the domes, stains with a fucose-binding lectin. ThebtaR1mutant biofilms, however, are negative for fucose staining. This suggests that the QS-1 system regulates the production of a fucose-containing exopolysaccharide in wild-type biofilms. Finally, we present data showing that QS ability during biofilm development produces a biofilm that is resistant to dispersion under stress conditions.IMPORTANCEThe saprophyteBurkholderia thailandensisis a close relative of the pathogenic bacteriumBurkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, which is contracted from its environmental reservoir. Since most bacteria in the environment reside in biofilms,B. thailandensisis an ideal model organism for investigating questions inBurkholderiaphysiology. In this study, we characterizedB. thailandensisbiofilm development and sought to determine if quorum sensing (QS) contributes to this process. Our work shows thatB. thailandensisproduces biofilms with unusual dome structures under flow conditions. Our findings suggest that these dome structures are filled with a QS-regulated, fucose-containing exopolysaccharide that may be involved in the resilience ofB. thailandensisbiofilms against changes in the nutritional environment.

The intra-genus and inter-species quorum-sensing autoinducers exert distinct control over Vibrio cholerae biofilm formation and dispersal

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew A. Bridges ◽  
Bonnie L. Bassler
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Cell Density ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
High Cell ◽  
Coincidence Detector ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Cell Densities

AbstractVibrio cholerae possesses multiple quorum-sensing systems that control virulence and biofilm formation among other traits. At low cell densities, when quorum-sensing autoinducers are absent, V. cholerae forms biofilms. At high cell densities, when autoinducers have accumulated, biofilm formation is repressed and dispersal occurs. Here, we focus on the roles of two well-characterized quorum-sensing autoinducers that function in parallel. One autoinducer, called CAI-1, is used to measure vibrio abundance, and the other autoinducer, called AI-2, is a broadly-made universal autoinducer that is presumed to enable V. cholerae to assess the total bacterial cell density of the vicinal community. The two V. cholerae autoinducers funnel information into a shared signal relay pathway. This feature of the quorum-sensing system architecture has made it difficult to understand how specific information can be extracted from each autoinducer, how the autoinducers might drive distinct output behaviors, and in turn, how the bacteria use quorum sensing to distinguish self from other in bacterial communities. We develop a live-cell biofilm formation and dispersal assay that allows examination of the individual and combined roles of the two autoinducers in controlling V. cholerae behavior. We show that the quorum-sensing system works as a coincidence detector in which both autoinducers must be present simultaneously for repression of biofilm formation to occur. Within that context, the CAI-1 quorum-sensing pathway is activated when only a few V. cholerae cells are present, whereas the AI-2 pathway is activated only at much higher cell density. The consequence of this asymmetry is that exogenous sources of AI-2, but not CAI-1, contribute to satisfying the coincidence detector to repress biofilm formation and promote dispersal. We propose that V. cholerae uses CAI-1 to verify that some of its kin are present before committing to the high-cell-density quorum-sensing mode, but it is, in fact, the universal autoinducer AI-2, that sets the pace of the V. cholerae quorum-sensing program. This first report of unique roles for the different V. cholerae autoinducers suggests that detection of self fosters a distinct outcome from detection of other.

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