Homoserine Lactones,Methyl Oligohydroxybutyrates,and Other Extracellular Metabolites of Macroalgae‐Associated Bacteria of the Roseobacter Clade: Identification and Functions

Twenty‐four strains of marine Roseobacter clade bacteria were isolated from macroalgae and investigated for the production of quorum‐sensing autoinducers, N‐acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). GC/MS analysis of the extracellular metabolites allowed us to evaluate the release of other small molecules as well. Nineteen strains produced AHLs, ranging from 3‐OH‐C10:0‐HSL (homoserine lactone) to (2E,11Z)‐C18:2‐HSL, but no specific phylogenetic or ecological pattern of individual AHL occurrence was observed when cluster analysis was performed. Other identified compounds included indole, tropone, methyl esters of oligomers of 3‐hydroxybutyric acid, and various amides, such as N‐9‐hexadecenoylalanine methyl ester (9‐C16:1‐NAME), a structural analogue of AHLs. Several compounds were tested for their antibacterial and antialgal activity on marine isolates likely to occur in the habitat of the macroalgae. Both AHLs and 9‐C16:1‐NAME showed high antialgal activity against Skeletonema costatum, whereas their antibacterial activity was low.     

Small Molecule Inhibitors of AI-2 Signaling in Bacteria: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives for Anti-Quorum Sensing Agents

Bacteria respond to different small molecules that are produced by other neighboring bacteria. These molecules, called autoinducers, are classified as intraspecies (i.e., molecules produced and perceived by the same bacterial species) or interspecies (molecules that are produced and sensed between different bacterial species). AI-2 has been proposed as an interspecies autoinducer and has been shown to regulate different bacterial physiology as well as affect virulence factor production and biofilm formation in some bacteria, including bacteria of clinical relevance. Several groups have embarked on the development of small molecules that could be used to perturb AI-2 signaling in bacteria, with the ultimate goal that these molecules could be used to inhibit bacterial virulence and biofilm formation. Additionally, these molecules have the potential to be used in synthetic biology applications whereby these small molecules are used as inputs to switch on and off AI-2 receptors. In this review, we highlight the state-of-the-art in the development of small molecules that perturb AI-2 signaling in bacteria and offer our perspective on the future development and applications of these classes of molecules.     

生物法中细菌群感效应所需自诱导物的存在证明

细菌群感效应是一种普遍存在的微生物细胞通讯机制。应用培养显色法和萃取显色法,考察了城市污水厂活性污泥、处理模拟废水的好氧颗粒污泥及处理微污染源水的生物膜中细菌群感效应所需信号分子（自诱导物）的存在情况.结果显示,采用这两种方法在各样品中均检测到了信号分子,表明给水和废水的生物处理工艺中细菌群感效应可能普遍存在.     

Structure-based discovery and experimental verification of novel AI-2 quorum sensing inhibitors against Vibrio harveyi

Quorum sensing has been implicated in the control of pathologically relevant bacterial behavior such as secretion of virulence factors, biofilm formation, sporulation, and swarming motility. The AI-2 quorum sensing pathway is found in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, antagonizing AI-2 quorum sensing is a possible approach to modifying bacterial behaviour. However, efforts in developing inhibitors of AI-2-mediated quorum sensing are especially lacking. High-throughput virtual screening using the V. harveyi LuxP crystal structure identified two compounds that were found to antagonize AI-2-mediated quorum sensing in V. harveyi without cytotoxicity. The sulfone functionality of these inhibitors was identified as critical to their ability to mimic the natural ligand in their interactions with Arg 215 and Arg 310 of the active site.     

几种常见细菌培养上清AI-2的检测及对大肠杆菌成膜影响

使用AI-2报告菌株哈氏弧菌BB170测定细菌培养上清AI-2的相对活性,同时使用结晶紫染色法定量分析大肠杆菌在外源细菌培养上清的作用下其生物被膜形成变化.结果显示,细菌培养上清能诱导哈氏弧菌BB170发出生物荧光,存在群体感应信号分子AI-2,可增强大肠杆菌生物被膜的形成,尤其是沙门氏菌和金黄色葡萄球菌培养上清的作用明显.当加入呋喃酮溶液,降低哈氏弧菌BB170荧光强度,抑制培养上清AI-2活性.     

LuxS/AI-2型群体感应系统调控细菌生物被膜形成研究进展

生物被膜是大多数细菌在自然状态下的一种生长方式,使菌体具有浮游态时不具有的优势。它的形成和发展受到群体感应系统的调控,该系统是细菌依赖于群体密度而调控其生理行为的一种机制。其中LuxS/2型自诱导物（autoinducer 2,AI-2）群体感应系统又称种间群体感应系统,广泛存在于G＋及G－菌中。其信号分子AI-2被认为是种间通用的信号分子,参与调控多种细菌的生物被膜。此外,目前已发现多种LuxS/AI-2型群体感应系统抑制剂,它们可以影响许多细菌生物被膜的形成。目前研究人员已开始致力于揭示LuxS/AI-2型群体感应系统调控生物被膜形成的分子机制,这对于进一步理解LuxS/AI-2型群体感应系统与生物被膜的关系具有重要意义。     

Synthesis and Evaluation of New Antagonists of Bacterial Quorum Sensing in Vibrio harveyi

Bacterial quorum sensing has received much attention in recent years because of its relevance to pathological events such as biofilm formation. Based on the structures of two lead inhibitors (IC₅₀: 35–55 μM ) against autoinducer‐2‐mediated quorum sensing identified through virtual screening, we synthesized 39 analogues and examined their inhibitory activities. Twelve of these new analogues showed equal or better inhibitory activities than the lead inhibitors. The best compound showed an IC₅₀ value of ～6 μM in a whole‐cell assay using Vibrio harveyi as the model organism. The structure–activity relationship is discussed herein.     

Scientific Status Summary

The Institute of Food Technologists has issued this Scientific Status Summary to provide readers with a tutorial on biofilms, their purposeful mechanism of interaction (quorum sensing), and recent findings on how to inhibit their formation.