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Updated: Oct 26, 2026

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
Published on: January 1, 2016
Sequential quorum-sensing regulation mitigates the trade-off between methane production and biofouling in anaerobic
Qianqian Zhang1, Yu Yang1, Li'an Hou1
1State Key Laboratory of Wetland Conservation and Restoration, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) enable simultaneous wastewater treatment and methane recovery, but their long-term operation is constrained by the conflict between enhanced microbial activity and membrane biofouling. Acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated quorum sensing (QS) regulates anaerobic metabolism, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, and biofilm formation, making microbial signaling a potential means of balancing methane production and membrane fouling control. Here, we developed a sequential QS modulation strategy that couples metabolic activation with signal attenuation in AnMBRs. C10-HSL, a medium-chain AHL, was first introduced to activate LuxR-type QS signaling and strengthen methanogenic electron transfer, while a naringenin-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (NAR-β-CD) was subsequently applied to attenuate biofilm-associated QS responses with improved system stability. C10-HSL stimulation increased sludge electron-transfer activity by 19.95 % and cumulative methane production by 18.42 %, confirming the effectiveness of QS activation in intensifying anaerobic conversion. Subsequent NAR-β-CD addition reduced EPS accumulation and alleviated membrane fouling while maintaining methane recovery. Metagenomic profiling revealed distinct regulatory outcomes: C10-HSL enriched genes associated with secretion systems, redox mediator biosynthesis, and biofilm formation, whereas NAR-β-CD altered QS-associated signaling, transport, and metabolic functions, accompanied by reduced EPS production. These findings establish sequential QS modulation as a microbial signaling-oriented strategy to balance methanogenic intensification from biofouling development, offering a new route toward stable energy recovery in AnMBRs.
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