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Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
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Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
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Novel linear polymers able to inhibit bacterial quorum sensing.

Eliana Cavaleiro1,2, Ana Sofia Duarte3, Ana Cristina Esteves1

  • 1Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.

Macromolecular Bioscience
|January 29, 2015
PubMed
Summary

New linear polymers can adsorb N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), effectively reducing bacterial quorum sensing. This offers a promising strategy to control bacterial phenotypes like biofilm formation and virulence without cytotoxicity.

Keywords:
Aeromonas hydrophilaVibrio fischericopolymersquorum sensing

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Quorum sensing regulates bacterial phenotypes including biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and virulence.
  • This cell-to-cell communication relies on signal molecules like N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs).
  • Targeting quorum sensing offers a novel approach to control bacterial behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop linear polymers capable of attenuating bacterial quorum sensing.
  • To investigate the efficacy of these polymers in sequestering AHL signal molecules.
  • To evaluate the impact of polymers on quorum sensing-controlled phenotypes and assess cytotoxicity.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of linear polymers using MMA, methacrylic acid, and itaconic acid.
  • Testing polymer efficiency by measuring inhibition of Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence and Aeromonas hydrophila biofilm formation.
  • Assessing polymer reversibility by adding lactones and evaluating cytotoxicity on a mammalian cell line.

Main Results:

  • Synthesized linear polymers effectively adsorbed AHLs, attenuating quorum sensing.
  • Both bioluminescence and biofilm formation were significantly inhibited by the polymers.
  • Itaconic acid-containing polymers demonstrated higher efficacy compared to methacrylic acid polymers.
  • Inhibitory effects were reversible upon lactone addition, confirming AHL sequestration.
  • Polymers exhibited no cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells.

Conclusions:

  • Linear polymers can be designed to sequester bacterial quorum sensing signal molecules (AHLs).
  • These polymers offer a potential strategy for controlling bacterial phenotypes like biofilm formation and virulence.
  • The developed polymers are effective, reversible, and non-cytotoxic, suggesting their utility in biotechnological applications.