WorldWideScience

Sample records for autoinducer dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone

  1. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa autoinducer dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone inhibits the putrescine synthesis in human cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristiansen, S.; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Adeltoft, D.

    2008-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses acyl-homoserine lactones to coordinate gene transcription in a process called quorum sensing (QS). The QS molecules C-4-HSL and C-12-oxo-HSL are synthesized from the universal precursor S-adenosyl methionine, which is also a precursor of polyamines in human cells...

  2. Long Chain N-acyl Homoserine Lactone Production by Enterobacter sp. Isolated from Human Tongue Surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Wai-Fong; Purmal, Kathiravan; Chin, Shenyang; Chan, Xin-Yue; Chan, Kok-Gan

    2012-01-01

    We report the isolation of N-acyl homoserine lactone-producing Enterobacter sp. isolate T1-1 from the posterior dorsal surfaces of the tongue of a healthy individual. Spent supernatants extract from Enterobacter sp. isolate T1-1 activated the biosensor Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4), suggesting production of long chain AHLs by these isolates. High resolution mass spectrometry analysis of these extracts confirmed that Enterobacter sp. isolate T1-1 produced a long chain N-acyl homoserine lactone, namely N-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first isolation of Enterobacter sp., strain T1-1 from the posterior dorsal surface of the human tongue and N-acyl homoserine lactones production by this bacterium. PMID:23202161

  3. Profiling of acylated homoserine lactones of Vibrio anguillarum in vitro and in vivo: influence of growth conditions and serotype

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buchholtz, Chrstiane; Nielsen, Kristian Fog; L. Milton, Debra

    2006-01-01

    Vibrio anguillarum produces several interlinked acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules which may Vibrio anguillarum produces several interlinked acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules which may influence expression of its virulence factors such as exoprotease production...... concentration) has little influence on the AHL-profile. Most strains produced N-(3-oxodecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C10-HSL) and N-(3-hydroxy-hexanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL) as the dominant molecules. Also, two spots with AHL activity appeared on TLC plates, which could...... not be identified as AHL structures. Trace amounts of N-(3-hydroxy-octanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone, N-(3-hydroxy-decanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone and N-(3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C8-HSL, 3-hydroxy-C10-HSL and 3-oxo-C12-HSL, respectively) were also detected by HPLC-HRMS analysis from...

  4. Unusual Multiple Production of N-Acylhomoserine Lactones a by Burkholderia sp. Strain C10B Isolated from Dentine Caries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Share Yuan Goh

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria realize the ability to communicate by production of quorum sensing (QS molecules called autoinducers, which regulate the physiological activities in their ecological niches. The oral cavity could be a potential area for the presence of QS bacteria. In this study, we report the isolation of a QS bacterial isolate C10B from dentine caries. Preliminary screening using Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 biosensor showed that isolate C10B was able to produce N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs. This bacterium was further identified as a member of Burkholderia, an opportunistic pathogen. The isolated Burkholderia sp. was confirmed to produce N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL, N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL, N-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL and N-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL.

  5. Profiling acylated homoserine lactones in Yersinia ruckeri and influence of exogenous acyl homoserine lactones and known quorum-sensing inhibitors on protease production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Dalsgaard, Inger

    2007-01-01

    produced at least eight different acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) with N-(3-oxooctanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HSL) being the dominant molecule. Also, some uncommon AHL, N-(3-oxoheptanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C7-HSL) and N-(3-oxononanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C9-HSL), were...

  6. Production of acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signals is widespread in gram-negative Methylobacterium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poonguzhali, Selvaraj; Madhaiyan, Munusamy; Sa, Tongmin

    2007-02-01

    Members of Methylobacterium, referred as pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria, are frequently associated with terrestrial and aquatic plants, tending to form aggregates on the phyllosphere. We report here that the production of autoinducer molecules involved in the cell-to-cell signaling process, which is known as quorum sensing, is common among Methylobacterium species. Several strains of Methylobacterium were tested for their ability to produce N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules using different indicators. Most strains of Methylobacterium tested could elicit a positive response in Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring lacZ fused to a gene that is regulated by autoinduction. The synthesis of these compounds was cell-density dependent, and the maximal activity was reached during the late exponential to stationary phases. The bacterial extracts were separated by thin-layer chromatography and bioassayed with A. tumefaciens NT1 (traR, tra::lacZ749). They revealed the production of various patterns of the signal molecules, which are strain dependent. At least two signal molecules could be detected in most of the strains tested, and comparison of their relative mobilities suggested that they are homologs of N-octanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) and N-decanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL).

  7. Synthesis of new 3-and 4-substituted analogues of acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing autoinducers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Jacob Alsbæk; Severinsen, Rune Eg; Rasmussen, Thomas Bovbjerg

    2002-01-01

    The quorum sensing mechanism in Gram-negative bacteria uses small intercellular signal molecules, N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), to control transcription of specific genes in relation to population density. In this communication, we describe the parallel synthesis of new AHL analogues, in which...... substituents have been introduced into the 3- and 4-positions of the lactone ring. These analogues have been screened for their ability to activate and inhibit a Vibrio fischeri LuxI/LuxR-derived quorum sensing reporter system....

  8. Detection of the quorum sensing signal molecule N-Dodecanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone below 1 nanomolarconcentrations using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Claussen, Anetta; Abdali, Salim; Berg, Rolf W.

    2013-01-01

    suitable tool for in situ measurements of low Acyl-Homoserine Lactone (AHL) concentrations in biofilms containing QS bacteria. Signal molecules communicate information about their environment and coordinate certain physiological activities in QS systems that exist in many bacteria. SERS enables detection...

  9. Vibrational spectra of N-butyryl-homoserine lactone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bak, J.

    A special class of organic compounds, N-acyl homoserine lactones (HSL), is synthesized in bacteria and takes part in the intercellular signaling designated quorum sensing. The outcome of the intercellular signaling is responsible for many of the interesting properties which characterize colony...... for a substantial part of morbidity and mortality in many medical specialties. Lactones are also interesting compounds from a spectroscopic point of view. The spectroscopic information about these compounds in the literature is very sparse. In this study we present the Mid-infrared spectra of homoserine lactones...

  10. Quorum sensing signal molecules (acylated homoserine lactones) in Gram-negative fish pathogenic bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bruhn, Jesper Bartholin; Dalsgaard, Inger; Nielsen, K.F.

    2005-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the production of quorum sensing signals (specifically acylated homoserine lactones, AHLs) among a selection of strains of Gram-negative fish bacterial pathogens. These signals are involved in the regulation of virulence factors in some human...... salmonicida and Vibrio splendidus were also positive. Aeromonas species produced N-butanoyl homoserine lactone (BHL) and N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (HHL) and 1 additional product, whereas N-3-oxo-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (OHHL) and HHL were detected in Vibrio salmonicida. N-3-oxo-octanoyl homoserine...... lactone (OOHL) and N-3-octanoyl homoserine lactone (OHL) were detected in Y. ruckeii. AHLs were not detected from strains of Photobacterium damselae, Flavobacterium psychrophilum or Moritella viscosa. AHLs were extracted from fish infected with Y. ruckeri but not from fish infected with A. salmonicida...

  11. Detecting and characterizing N-acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules by thin-layer chromatography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Paul D.; Ping, Gao; Daly, Sean L.; Cha, Chung; Cronan, John E.; Rinehart, Kenneth L.; Farrand, Stephen K.

    1997-01-01

    Many Gram-negative bacteria regulate gene expression in response to their population size by sensing the level of acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules which they produce and liberate to the environment. We have developed an assay for these signals that couples separation by thin-layer chromatography with detection using Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring lacZ fused to a gene that is regulated by autoinduction. With the exception of N-butanoyl-l-homoserine lactone, the reporter detected acyl-homoserine lactones with 3-oxo-, 3-hydroxy-, and 3-unsubstituted side chains of all lengths tested. The intensity of the response was proportional to the amount of the signal molecule chromatographed. Each of the 3-oxo- and the 3-unsubstituted derivatives migrated with a unique mobility. Using the assay, we showed that some bacteria produce as many as five detectable signal molecules. Structures could be assigned tentatively on the basis of mobility and spot shape. The dominant species produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci chromatographed with the properties of N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone, a structure that was confirmed by mass spectrometry. An isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens produced five detectable species, three of which had novel chromatographic properties. These were identified as the 3-hydroxy- forms of N-hexanoyl-, N-octanoyl-, and N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone. The assay can be used to screen cultures of bacteria for acyl-homoserine lactones, for quantifying the amounts of these molecules produced, and as an analytical and preparative aid in determining the structures of these signal molecules. PMID:9177164

  12. N-acyl-homoserine lactone-mediated quorum-sensing in Azospirillum: an exception rather than a rule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vial, Ludovic; Cuny, Caroline; Gluchoff-Fiasson, Katia; Comte, Gilles; Oger, Phil M; Faure, Denis; Dessaux, Yves; Bally, René; Wisniewski-Dyé, Florence

    2006-11-01

    Forty Azospirillum strains were tested for their ability to synthesize N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). AHL production was detected for four strains belonging to the lipoferum species and isolated from a rice rhizosphere. AHL molecules were structurally identified for two strains: Azospirillum lipoferum TVV3 produces 3O,C(8)-HSL (N-3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine-lactone), C(8)-HSL (N-3-octanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3O,C(10)-HSL (N-3-oxo-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3OH,C(10)-HSL (N-3-hydroxy-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone) and C(10)-HSL (N-3-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone), whereas A. lipoferum B518 produced 3O,C(6)-HSL (N-3-oxo-hexanoyl-homoserine-lactone), C(6)-HSL (N-3-hexanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3O,C(8)-HSL, 3OH,C(8)-HSL and C(8)-HSL. Genes involved in AHL production were characterized for A. lipoferum TVV3 by generating a genomic library and complementing an AHL-deficient strain with sensor capabilities. Those genes, designated alpI and alpR, were found to belong to the luxI and luxR families, respectively. When cloned in a suitable heterologous host, alpI and alpR could direct the synthesis of the five cognate AHLs present in A. lipoferum TVV3. These two adjacent genes were found to be located on a 85 kb plasmid. Southern hybridization experiments with probes alpI/R indicated that genes involved in AHL production in the three other AHL-producing strains were not closely related to alpI and alpR. This study demonstrates that AHL-based quorum-sensing is not widespread among the genus Azospirillum and could be found only in some A. lipoferum strains.

  13. Homoserine Lactone as a Structural Key Element for the Synthesis of Multifunctional Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabian Marquardt

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of bio-based building blocks for polymer synthesis represents a milestone on the way to “green” materials. In this work, two synthetic strategies for the preparation of multifunctional polymers are presented in which the key element is the functionality of homoserine lactone. First, the synthesis of a bis cyclic coupler based on a thiolactone and homoserine lactone is displayed. This coupler was evaluated regarding its regioselectivity upon reaction with amines and used in the preparation of multifunctional polymeric building blocks by reaction with diamines. Furthermore, a linear polyglycidol was functionalized with homoserine lactone. The resulting polyethers with lactone groups in the side chain were converted to cationic polymers by reaction with 3-(dimethylamino-1-propylamine followed by quaternization with methyl iodide.

  14. Triazole-containing N-acyl homoserine lactones targeting the quorum sensing system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Mette Reimert; Jakobsen, Tim H.; Bang, Claus Gunnar

    2015-01-01

    the pathogenesis and antibiotic tolerance of a bacterial biofilm. To identify the structural elements important for antagonistic or agonistic activity against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasR protein, we report the synthesis and screening of new triazole-containing mimics of natural N-acyl homoserine lactones....... A series of azide- and alkyne-containing homoserine lactone building blocks was used to prepare an expanded set of 123 homoserine lactone analogues through a combination of solution- and solid-phase synthesis methods. The resulting compounds were subjected to cell-based quorum sensing screening assays...

  15. O-Succinyl-L-homoserine-based C4-chemical production: succinic acid, homoserine lactone, γ-butyrolactone, γ-butyrolactone derivatives, and 1,4-butanediol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Kuk-Ki; Kim, Jeong Hyun; Yoon, Jong Hyun; Park, Hye-Min; Choi, Su Jin; Song, Gyu Hyeon; Lee, Jea Chun; Yang, Young-Lyeol; Shin, Hyun Kwan; Kim, Ju Nam; Cho, Kyung Ho; Lee, Jung Ho

    2014-10-01

    There has been a significant global interest to produce bulk chemicals from renewable resources using engineered microorganisms. Large research programs have been launched by academia and industry towards this goal. Particularly, C4 chemicals such as succinic acid (SA) and 1,4-butanediol have been leading the path towards the commercialization of biobased technology with the effort of replacing chemical production. Here we present O-Succinyl-L-homoserine (SH) as a new, potentially important platform biochemical and demonstrate its central role as an intermediate in the production of SA, homoserine lactone (HSL), γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and its derivatives, and 1,4-butanediol (BDO). This technology encompasses (1) the genetic manipulation of Escherichia coli to produce SH with high productivity, (2) hydrolysis into SA and homoserine (HS) or homoserine lactone hydrochloride, and (3) chemical conversion of either HS or homoserine lactone HCL (HSL·HCl) into drop-in chemicals in polymer industry. This production strategy with environmental benefits is discussed in the perspective of targeting of fermented product and a process direction compared to petroleum-based chemical conversion, which may reduce the overall manufacturing cost.

  16. Solid‐Phase Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of N‐Dipeptido L‐Homoserine Lactones as Quorum Sensing Activators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Mette Reimert; Le Quement, Sebastian Thordal; Jakobsen, Tim Holm

    2014-01-01

    homoserine lactones. With the goal of identifying non‐native compounds capable of modulating bacterial QS, a virtual library of N‐dipeptido L‐homoserine lactones was screened in silico with two different crystal structures of LasR. The 30 most promising hits were synthesized on HMBA‐functionalized PEGA resin...

  17. N-acyl homoserine lactone-degrading microbial enrichment cultures isolated from Penaeus vannamei shrimp gut and their probiotic properties in Brachionus plicatilis cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinh, Nguyen Thi Ngoc; Asanka Gunasekara, R A Y S; Boon, Nico; Dierckens, Kristof; Sorgeloos, Patrick; Bossier, Peter

    2007-10-01

    Three bacterial enrichment cultures (ECs) were isolated from the digestive tract of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei, by growing the shrimp microbial communities in a mixture of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules. The ECs, characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and subsequent rRNA sequencing, degraded AHL molecules in the degradation assays. Apparently, the resting cells of the ECs also degraded one of the three types of quorum-sensing signal molecules produced by Vibrio harveyi in vitro [i.e. harveyi autoinducer 1 (HAI-1)]. The most efficient AHL-degrading ECs, EC5, was tested in Brachionus experiments. EC5 degraded the V. harveyi HAI-1 autoinducer in vivo, neutralizing the negative effect of V. harveyi autoinducer 2 (AI-2) mutant, in which only the HAI-1- and CAI-1-mediated components of the quorum-sensing system are functional on the growth of Brachionus. This suggests that EC5 interferes with HAI-1-regulated metabolism in V. harveyi. These AHL-degrading ECs need to be tested in other aquatic systems for their probiotic properties, preferably in combination with specific AI-2-degrading bacteria.

  18. gfp-based N-acyl homoserine-lactone sensor systems for detection of bacterial communication

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Jens Bo; Heydorn, Arne; Hentzer, Morten

    2001-01-01

    In order to perform single-cell analysis and online studies of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated communication among bacteria, components of the Vibrio fischeri quorum sensor encoded by luxR-P-luxI have been fused to modified versions of gfpmut3* genes encoding unstable green fluorescent...... proteins. Bacterial strains harboring this green fluorescent sensor detected a broad spectrum of AHL molecules and were capable of sensing the presence of 5 nM N-3-oxohexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone in the surroundings. In combination with epifluorescent microscopy, the sensitivity of the sensor enabled AHL...

  19. Systemic responses of barley to the 3-hydroxy-decanoyl-homoserine lactone producing plant beneficial endophyte Acidovorax radicis N35

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shengcai Han

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing auto-inducers of the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL type produced by Gram-negative bacteria have different effects on plants including stimulation on root growth and/or priming or acquirement of systemic resistance in plants. In this communication the influence of AHL production of the plant growth promoting endophytic rhizosphere bacterium Acidovorax radicis N35 on barley seedlings was investigated. A. radicis N35 produces 3-hydroxy-C10-homoserine lactone (3-OH-C10-HSL as the major AHL compound. To study the influence of this QS autoinducer on the interaction with barley, the araI-biosynthesis gene was deleted. The comparison of inoculation effects of the A. radicis N35 wild type and the araI mutant resulted in remarkable differences. While the N35 wild type colonized plant roots effectively in microcolonies, the araI mutant occurred at the root surface as single cells. Furthermore, in a mixed inoculum the wild type was much more prevalent in colonization than the araI mutant documenting that the araI mutation affected root colonization. Nevertheless, a significant plant growth promoting effect could be shown after inoculation of barley with the wild type and the araI mutant in soil after two months cultivation. While A. radicis N35 wild type showed only a very weak induction of early defense responses in plant RNA expression analysis, the araI mutant caused increased expression of flavonoid biosynthesis genes. This was corroborated by the accumulation of several flavonoid compounds such as saponarin and lutonarin in leaves of root inoculated barley seedlings. Thus, although the exact role of the flavonoids in this plant response is not clear yet, it can be concluded, that the synthesis of AHLs by A. radicis has implications on the perception by the host plant barley and thereby contributes to the establishment and function of the bacteria-plant interaction.

  20. Imaging N-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing in vivo

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Louise Dahl; van Gennip, Maria; Jakobsen, Tim Holm

    2011-01-01

    In order to study N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing in vivo, we present a protocol using an Escherichia coli strain equipped with a luxR-based monitor system, which in the presence of exogenous AHL molecules expresses a green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lungs from mice challenged...

  1. Imaging N-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing in vivo

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hultqvist, Louise Dahl; Alhede, Maria; Jakobsen, Tim Holm

    2018-01-01

    In order to study N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing in vivo, we present a protocol using an Escherichia coli strain equipped with a luxR-based monitor system, which in the presence of exogenous AHL molecules expresses a green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lungs from mice challenged...

  2. Pseudomonas cremoricolorata Strain ND07 Produces N-acyl Homoserine Lactones as Quorum Sensing Molecules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Yusrina Muhamad Yunos

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing (QS is a bacterial cell-to-cell communication system controlling QS-mediated genes which is synchronized with the population density. The regulation of specific gene activity is dependent on the signaling molecules produced, namely N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. We report here the identification and characterization of AHLs produced by bacterial strain ND07 isolated from a Malaysian fresh water sample. Molecular identification showed that strain ND07 is clustered closely to Pseudomonas cremoricolorata. Spent culture supernatant extract of P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 activated the AHL biosensor Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Using high resolution triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, it was confirmed that P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 produced N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL and N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation on the production of C10-HSL in P. cremoricolorata strain ND07.

  3. Production of acylated homoserine lactones by psychrotrophic members of the Enterobacteriaceae isolated from foods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gram, Lone; Christensen, A.B.; Flodgaard, Lars

    1999-01-01

    Bacteria are able to communicate and gene regulation can be mediated through the production of acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules. These signals play important roles in several pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria. The following study was undertaken to investigate whether AHLs...... indicated that N-3-oxohexanoyl homoserine lactone was the major AHL of several of the strains isolated from cold-smoked salmon and meat. AHL-positive strains cultured at 5 degrees C in medium supplemented with 4% NaCl produced detectable amounts of AHL(s) at cell densities of 10(6) CFU/ml. AHLs were...

  4. Eukaryotic interference with homoserine lactone mediated procaryotic signalling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Givskov, Michael Christian; de Nys, Rocky; Gram, Lone

    1996-01-01

    Acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) plays a widespread role in intercellular communication among bacteria. The Australian macroalga Delisea pulchra produces secondary metabolites which have structural similarities to AHL molecules. We report here that these metabolites inhibited AHL-controlled pr......-controlled processes in prokaryotes. Our results suggest that the interaction between higher organisms and their surface-associated bacteria may be mediated by interference with bacterial regulatory systems....

  5. Global and Phylogenetic Distribution of Quorum Sensing Signals, Acyl Homoserine Lactones, in the Family of Vibrionaceae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Bastian Barker; Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Machado, Henrique

    2014-01-01

    Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) and the corresponding signals, acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), were first described for a luminescent Vibrio species. Since then, detailed knowledge has been gained on the functional level of QS; however, the abundance of AHLs in the family of Vibrionaceae in the en......Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) and the corresponding signals, acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), were first described for a luminescent Vibrio species. Since then, detailed knowledge has been gained on the functional level of QS; however, the abundance of AHLs in the family of Vibrionaceae...... violaceum reporter strains. Ethyl acetate extracts of the cultures were analysed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) with automated tandem MS confirmation for AHLs. N-(3-hydroxy-hexanoyl) (OH-C6) and N-(3-hydroxy-decanoyl) (OH-C10) homoserine lactones were...

  6. Interkingdom signaling: The role of homoserine lactones in early responses and resistance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

    OpenAIRE

    Rankl, Simone

    2017-01-01

    N-Acyl-D/L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are produced as microbial signaling compounds during bacterial intra- and inter-specific communication in the rhizosphere. Thus, plants are naturally exposed to these compounds and respond with tissue-specific reactions. In the present study the impact of AHLs on the monocot barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was investigated. The treatment with C8- and C12- homoserine lactones (HSL) resulted in root and shoot biomass gain as well as in the formation of lat...

  7. Nonbioluminescent strains of Photobacterium phosphoreum produce the cell-to-cell communication signal N-(3-Hydroxyoctanoyl)homoserine lactone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flodgaard, Lars; Dalgaard, Paw; Andersen, Jens Bo

    2005-01-01

    Bioluminescence is a common phenotype in marine bacteria, such As Vibrio and Photobacterium species, and can be quorum regulated by N-acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs). We extracted a molecule that induced a bacterial AHL monitor (Agrobacterium tumefaciens NT1 [pZLR4]) from packed cod fillets......) and shape to N-(3-hydroxyoctanoyl)homoserine lactone, and the presence of this molecule in culture supernatants from a nonbioluminescent strain of P. phosphoreum was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography-positive electrospray high-resolution mass spectrometry. Bioluminescence (in a non...

  8. N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone-mediated regulation of the Lip secretion system in Serratia liquefaciens MG1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riedel, K.; Ohnesorg, T.; Krogfelt, K.A.

    2001-01-01

    The analysis of Serratia liquefaciens MG1 'luxAB insertion mutants that are responsive to N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone revealed that expression of lipB is controlled by the swr quorum-sensing system. LipB is part of the Lip exporter, a type I secretion system, which is responsible for the secr......The analysis of Serratia liquefaciens MG1 'luxAB insertion mutants that are responsive to N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone revealed that expression of lipB is controlled by the swr quorum-sensing system. LipB is part of the Lip exporter, a type I secretion system, which is responsible...

  9. Cellular effects of bacterial N-3-Oxo-dodecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone on the sponge Suberites domuncula (Olivi, 1792): insights into an intimate inter-kingdom dialogue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardères, Johan; Henry, Joël; Bernay, Benoit; Ritter, Andrès; Zatylny-Gaudin, Céline; Wiens, Matthias; Müller, Werner E G; Le Pennec, Gaël

    2014-01-01

    Sponges and bacteria have lived together in complex consortia for 700 million years. As filter feeders, sponges prey on bacteria. Nevertheless, some bacteria are associated with sponges in symbiotic relationships. To enable this association, sponges and bacteria are likely to have developed molecular communication systems. These may include molecules such as N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones, produced by Gram-negative bacteria also within sponges. In this study, we examined the role of N-3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL) on the expression of immune and apoptotic genes of the host sponge Suberites domuncula. This molecule seemed to inhibit the sponge innate immune system through a decrease of the expression of genes coding for proteins sensing the bacterial membrane: a Toll-Like Receptor and a Toll-like Receptor Associated Factor 6 and for an anti-bacterial perforin-like molecule. The expression of the pro-apoptotic caspase-like 3/7 gene decreased as well, whereas the level of mRNA of anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 Homolog Proteins did not change. Then, we demonstrated the differential expression of proteins in presence of this 3-oxo-C12-HSL using 3D sponge cell cultures. Proteins involved in the first steps of the endocytosis process were highlighted using the 2D electrophoresis protein separation and the MALDI-TOF/TOF protein characterization: α and β subunits of the lysosomal ATPase, a cognin, cofilins-related proteins and cytoskeleton proteins actin, α tubulin and α actinin. The genetic expression of some of these proteins was subsequently followed. We propose that the 3-oxo-C12-HSL may participate in the tolerance of the sponge apoptotic and immune systems towards the presence of bacteria. Besides, the sponge may sense the 3-oxo-C12-HSL as a molecular evidence of the bacterial presence and/or density in order to regulate the populations of symbiotic bacteria in the sponge. This study is the first report of a bacterial secreted molecule acting on

  10. Cellular effects of bacterial N-3-Oxo-dodecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone on the sponge Suberites domuncula (Olivi, 1792: insights into an intimate inter-kingdom dialogue.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan Gardères

    Full Text Available Sponges and bacteria have lived together in complex consortia for 700 million years. As filter feeders, sponges prey on bacteria. Nevertheless, some bacteria are associated with sponges in symbiotic relationships. To enable this association, sponges and bacteria are likely to have developed molecular communication systems. These may include molecules such as N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones, produced by Gram-negative bacteria also within sponges. In this study, we examined the role of N-3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL on the expression of immune and apoptotic genes of the host sponge Suberites domuncula. This molecule seemed to inhibit the sponge innate immune system through a decrease of the expression of genes coding for proteins sensing the bacterial membrane: a Toll-Like Receptor and a Toll-like Receptor Associated Factor 6 and for an anti-bacterial perforin-like molecule. The expression of the pro-apoptotic caspase-like 3/7 gene decreased as well, whereas the level of mRNA of anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 Homolog Proteins did not change. Then, we demonstrated the differential expression of proteins in presence of this 3-oxo-C12-HSL using 3D sponge cell cultures. Proteins involved in the first steps of the endocytosis process were highlighted using the 2D electrophoresis protein separation and the MALDI-TOF/TOF protein characterization: α and β subunits of the lysosomal ATPase, a cognin, cofilins-related proteins and cytoskeleton proteins actin, α tubulin and α actinin. The genetic expression of some of these proteins was subsequently followed. We propose that the 3-oxo-C12-HSL may participate in the tolerance of the sponge apoptotic and immune systems towards the presence of bacteria. Besides, the sponge may sense the 3-oxo-C12-HSL as a molecular evidence of the bacterial presence and/or density in order to regulate the populations of symbiotic bacteria in the sponge. This study is the first report of a bacterial secreted

  11. Non-thermal Plasma Exposure Rapidly Attenuates Bacterial AHL-Dependent Quorum Sensing and Virulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Padrig B.; Busetti, Alessandro; Wielogorska, Ewa; Chevallier, Olivier P.; Elliott, Christopher T.; Laverty, Garry; Gorman, Sean P.; Graham, William G.; Gilmore, Brendan F.

    2016-01-01

    The antimicrobial activity of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma has been exhaustively characterised, however elucidation of the interactions between biomolecules produced and utilised by bacteria and short plasma exposures are required for optimisation and clinical translation of cold plasma technology. This study characterizes the effects of non-thermal plasma exposure on acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent quorum sensing (QS). Plasma exposure of AHLs reduced the ability of such molecules to elicit a QS response in bacterial reporter strains in a dose-dependent manner. Short exposures (30–60 s) produce of a series of secondary compounds capable of eliciting a QS response, followed by the complete loss of AHL-dependent signalling following longer exposures. UPLC-MS analysis confirmed the time-dependent degradation of AHL molecules and their conversion into a series of by-products. FT-IR analysis of plasma-exposed AHLs highlighted the appearance of an OH group. In vivo assessment of the exposure of AHLs to plasma was examined using a standard in vivo model. Lettuce leaves injected with the rhlI/lasI mutant PAO-MW1 alongside plasma treated N-butyryl-homoserine lactone and n-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)-homoserine lactone, exhibited marked attenuation of virulence. This study highlights the capacity of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma to modify and degrade AHL autoinducers thereby attenuating QS-dependent virulence in P. aeruginosa. PMID:27242335

  12. Atomic force microscopy reveals a morphological differentiation of chromobacterium violaceum cells associated with biofilm development and directed by N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anara A Kamaeva

    Full Text Available Chromobacterium violaceum abounds in soil and water ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions and occasionally causes severe and often fatal human and animal infections. The quorum sensing (QS system and biofilm formation are essential for C. violaceum's adaptability and pathogenicity, however, their interrelation is still unknown. C. violaceum's cell and biofilm morphology were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM in comparison with growth rates, QS-dependent violacein biosynthesis and biofilm biomass quantification. To evaluate QS regulation of these processes, the wild-type strain C. violaceum ATCC 31532 and its mini-Tn5 mutant C. violaceum NCTC 13274, cultivated with and without the QS autoinducer N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL, were used. We report for the first time the unusual morphological differentiation of C. violaceum cells, associated with biofilm development and directed by the QS autoinducer. AFM revealed numerous invaginations of the external cytoplasmic membrane of wild-type cells, which were repressed in the mutant strain and restored by exogenous C6-HSL. With increasing bacterial growth, polymer matrix extrusions formed in place of invaginations, whereas mutant cells were covered with a diffusely distributed extracellular substance. Thus, quorum sensing in C. violaceum involves a morphological differentiation that organises biofilm formation and leads to a highly differentiated matrix structure.

  13. Atomic force microscopy reveals a morphological differentiation of chromobacterium violaceum cells associated with biofilm development and directed by N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamaeva, Anara A; Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Deryabin, Dmitry G

    2014-01-01

    Chromobacterium violaceum abounds in soil and water ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions and occasionally causes severe and often fatal human and animal infections. The quorum sensing (QS) system and biofilm formation are essential for C. violaceum's adaptability and pathogenicity, however, their interrelation is still unknown. C. violaceum's cell and biofilm morphology were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in comparison with growth rates, QS-dependent violacein biosynthesis and biofilm biomass quantification. To evaluate QS regulation of these processes, the wild-type strain C. violaceum ATCC 31532 and its mini-Tn5 mutant C. violaceum NCTC 13274, cultivated with and without the QS autoinducer N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), were used. We report for the first time the unusual morphological differentiation of C. violaceum cells, associated with biofilm development and directed by the QS autoinducer. AFM revealed numerous invaginations of the external cytoplasmic membrane of wild-type cells, which were repressed in the mutant strain and restored by exogenous C6-HSL. With increasing bacterial growth, polymer matrix extrusions formed in place of invaginations, whereas mutant cells were covered with a diffusely distributed extracellular substance. Thus, quorum sensing in C. violaceum involves a morphological differentiation that organises biofilm formation and leads to a highly differentiated matrix structure.

  14. Transcriptome analysis of acyl-homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing regulation in Yersinia pestis [corrected].

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher N LaRock

    Full Text Available The etiologic agent of bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, senses self-produced, secreted chemical signals in a process named quorum sensing. Though the closely related enteric pathogen Y. pseudotuberculosis uses quorum sensing system to regulate motility, the role of quorum sensing in Y. pestis has been unclear. In this study we performed transcriptional profiling experiments to identify Y. pestis quorum sensing regulated functions. Our analysis revealed that acyl-homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing controls the expression of several metabolic functions. Maltose fermentation and the glyoxylate bypass are induced by acyl-homoserine lactone signaling. This effect was observed at 30°C, indicating a potential role for quorum sensing regulation of metabolism at temperatures below the normal mammalian temperature. It is proposed that utilization of alternative carbon sources may enhance growth and/or survival during prolonged periods in natural habitats with limited nutrient sources, contributing to maintenance of plague in nature.

  15. Production of acylated homoserine lactones by different serotypes of Vibrio anguillarum both in culture and during infection of rainbow trout

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buch, C.; Sigh, J.; Nielsen, J.

    2003-01-01

    Onehundred and forty-eight out of onehundred and fifty strains of Vibrio anguillarum isolated from vibriosis in Danish marine aquaculture produced bacterial communication signals, acylated homoserine lactones, eliciting a response in the Agrobacterium tumefaciens (pZLR4) monitoring system. One...... strain, a serotype O4, induced a strong response in the Chromobacterium violaceum (CV026) monitoring system. Profiles of AHLs determined by TLC separation revealed the presence of at least four AHLs and a compound similar to N-3-oxo-decanoyl homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C10-HSL) was present in all strains...

  16. Quorum quenching by an N-acyl-homoserine lactone acylase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sio, CF; Otten, LG; Cool, RH; Diggle, SP; Braun, PG; Daykin, M; Camara, M; Williams, P; Quax, WJ; Bos, R

    The virulence of the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 is controlled by an N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent quorum-sensing system. During functional analysis of putative acylase genes in the P. aeruginosa PAO1 genome, the PA2385 gene was found to encode an acylase

  17. Beneficial effects of bacteria-plant communication based on quorum sensing molecules of the N-acyl homoserine lactone group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schikora, Adam; Schenk, Sebastian T; Hartmann, Anton

    2016-04-01

    Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms play a crucial role in the proper performance and ecological fitness of bacterial populations. Many key physiological processes are regulated in a QS-dependent manner by auto-inducers, like the N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) in numerous Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, also the interaction between bacteria and eukaryotic hosts can be regulated by AHLs. Those mechanisms gained much attention, because of the positive effects of different AHL molecules on plants. This positive impact ranges from growth promotion to induced resistance and is quite contrasting to the rather negative effects observed in the interactions between bacterial AHL molecules and animals. Only very recently, we began to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning plant responses to AHL molecules. In this review, we gathered the latest information in this research field. The first part gives an overview of the bacterial aspects of quorum sensing. Later we focus on the impact of AHLs on plant growth and AHL-priming, as one of the most understood phenomena in respect to the inter-kingdom interactions based on AHL-quorum sensing molecules. Finally, we discuss the potential benefits of the understanding of bacteria-plant interaction for the future agricultural applications.

  18. Presence of acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) and AHL-producing bacteria in meat and potential role of AHL in spoilage of meat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bruhn, Jesper Bartholin; Christensen, Allan Beck; Flodgaard, Lars

    2004-01-01

    Quorum-sensing (QS) signals (N-acyl homoserine lactones [AHLs]) were extracted and detected from five commercially produced vacuum-packed meat samples. Ninety-six AHL-producing bacteria were isolated, and 92 were identified as Enterobacteriaceae. Hafnia alvei was the most commonly identified AHL......-producing bacterium. Thin-layer chromatographic profiles of supernatants from six H. alvei isolates and of extracts from spoiling meat revealed that the major AHL species had an R-f value and shape similar to N-3-oxo-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (OHHL). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS) (high-resolution MS...

  19. Synthesis and biological evaluation of triazole-containing N-acyl homoserine lactones as quorum sensing modulators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stacy, Danielle M.; Le Quement, Sebastian T.; Hansen, Casper L.

    2013-01-01

    triazole-containing analogs of natural N-acyl l-homoserine lactone (AHL) signals as non-native QS agonists and antagonists in Gram-negative bacteria. We synthesized 72 triazole derivatives of five broad structure types in high yields and purities using efficient Cu(i)-catalyzed azide–alkyne couplings...

  20. N-acyl-homoserine lactone uptake and systemic transport in barley rest upon active parts of the plant

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sieper, T.; Forczek, Sándor; Matucha, Miroslav; Kraemer, P.; Hartmann, A.; Schroeder, P.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 201, č. 2 (2014), s. 545-555 ISSN 1469-8137 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : barley (Hordeum vulgare) * monoclonal antibodies * N-acyl-homoserine lactones (HSLs) Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 6.545, year: 2013

  1. Targeting N-acyl-homoserine-lactones to mitigate membrane biofouling based on quorum sensing using a biofouling reducer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Muhammad Faisal; Sakinah, Mimi; Singh, Lakhveer; Zularisam, A W

    2012-10-31

    Exploring novel biological anti-quorum sensing (QS) agents to control membrane biofouling is of great worth in order to allow sustainable performance of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for wastewater treatment. In recent studies, QS inhibitors have provided evidence of alternative route to control membrane biofouling. This study investigated the role of Piper betle extract (PBE) as an anti-QS agent to mitigate membrane biofouling. Results demonstrated the occurrence of the N-acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL) autoinducers (AIs), correlate QS activity and membrane biofouling mitigation. The AIs production in bioreactor was confirmed using an indicator strain Agrobacterium tumefaciens (NTL4) harboring plasmid pZLR4. Moreover, three different AHLs were found in biocake using thin layer chromatographic analysis. An increase in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and transmembrane pressure (TMP) was observed with AHL activity of the biocake during continuous MBR operation, which shows that membrane biofouling was in close relationship with QS activity. PBE was verified to mitigate membrane biofouling via inhibiting AIs production. SEM analysis further confirmed the effect of PBE on EPS and biofilm formation. These results exhibited that PBE could be a novel agent to target AIs for mitigation of membrane biofouling. Further work can be carried out to purify the active compound of Piper betle extract to target the QS to mitigate membrane biofouling. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Production of N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones by P. aeruginosa isolates from chronic lung infections associated with cystic fibrosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Geisenberger, O; Givskov, M; Riedel, K

    2000-01-01

    The N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by sequential Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from chronically infected patients with cystic fibrosis were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. It is demonstrated that both the amounts and the types of molecules synthesized by isolates from...

  3. Rational design and synthesis of new quorum-sensing inhibitors derived from acylated homoserine lactones and natural products from garlic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Persson, T.; Rasmussen, Thomas Bovbjerg; Skindersoe, M.

    2005-01-01

    within the binding-site and structural motifs in molecular components isolated from garlic, 7 and 8, shown to be quorum-sensing inhibitors but not antibiotics. A potent quorum-sensing inhibitor N-(heptylsulfanylacetyl)-L-homoserine lactone (10c) was identified. Together with data collected for the other...

  4. The quorum-quenching N-acyl homoserine lactone acylase PvdQ is an Ntn-hydrolase with an unusual substrate-binding pocket

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bokhove, Marcel; Jimenez, Pol Nadal; Quax, Wim J.; Dijkstra, Bauke W.

    2010-01-01

    In many Gram-negative pathogens, their virulent behavior is regulated by quorum sensing, in which diffusible signals such as N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) act as chemical messaging compounds. Enzymatic degradation of these diffusible signals by, e. g., lactonases or amidohydrolases abolishes AHL

  5. Detection and quantification of Vibrio fischeri autoinducer from symbiotic squid light organs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boettcher, K J; Ruby, E G

    1995-02-01

    Vibrio fischeri is the specific light organ symbiont of the sepiolid squid species Euprymna scolopes and Euprymna morsei. Both species of squid are luminescent by virtue of their bacterial symbionts, but the natural symbionts of E. scolopes do not produce visible luminescence in laboratory culture. The primary cause of this depressed luminescence by E. scolopes symbionts in culture was found to be the production of relatively low levels of V. fischeri autoinducer, a positive transcriptional coregulator of the lux regulon, identified as N-(3-oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone. Concentrations of autoinducer activity produced by these symbionts in culture were quantified and found to be at least 10-fold lower than those produced by E. morsei isolates (which are visibly luminous outside the association) and perhaps 10,000-fold lower than those of the brightest V. fischeri strains. Despite the differences in their symbiont strains, the intact light organs of the two species of squid contained comparable amounts of extractable autoinducer activity (between 100 and 200 pg per adult animal). The chromatographic behavior of this autoinducer activity on reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was consistent with its presumptive identification as V. fischeri autoinducer. Within the 5-microliter volume of the epithelial core of the light organ in which the symbiotic V. fischeri strains are housed, these amounts would result in an effective autoinducer concentration of at least 100 nM. Because these levels are over 40-fold higher than the concentration needed for the induction of luminescence of bacteria in culture, we conclude that the inherent degree of autoinducer production by strains of V. fischeri may not influence their effectiveness as light organ symbionts. Furthermore, this study provides the first direct evidence that the phenomenon of cell density-dependent autoinduction, discovered and described first for laboratory cultures of V. fischeri but believed to

  6. Deuterium-labelled N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) - inter-kingdom signalling molecules - synthesis, structural studies, and interactions with model lipid membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jakubczyk, Dorota; Barth, Christoph; Anastassacos, Frances; Koelsch, Patrick; Schepers, Ute; Kubas, Adam; Fink, Karin; Brenner-Weiss, Gerald; Braese, Stefan

    2012-01-01

    N-Acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are synthesized by Gram-negative bacteria. These quorum-sensing molecules play an important role in the context of bacterial infection and biofilm formation. They also allow communication between microorganisms and eukaryotic cells (inter-kingdom signalling). However, very little is known about the entire mechanism of those interactions. Precise structural studies are required to analyse the different AHL isomers as only one form is biologically most active. Theoretical studies combined with experimental infrared and Raman spectroscopic data are therefore undertaken to characterise the obtained compounds. To mimic interactions between AHL and cell membranes, we studied the insertion of AHL in supported lipid bilayers, using vibrational sum-frequency-generation spectroscopy. Deuterium-labelled AHLs were thus synthesized. Starting from readily available deuterated fatty acids, a two-step procedure towards deuterated N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones with varying chain lengths is described. This included the acylation of Meldrum's acid followed by amidation. Additionally, the detailed analytical evaluation of the products is presented herein. (orig.)

  7. Transgenic plants producing the bacterial pheromone N-acyl-homoserine lactone exhibit enhanced resistance to the bacterial phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäe, A; Montesano, M; Koiv, V; Palva, E T

    2001-09-01

    Bacterial pheromones, mainly different homoserine lactones, are central to a number of bacterial signaling processes, including those involved in plant pathogenicity. We previously demonstrated that N-oxoacyl-homoserine lactone (OHL) is essential for quorum sensing in the soft-rot phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora. In this pathogen, OHL controls the coordinate activation of genes encoding the main virulence determinants, extracellular plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), in a cell density-dependent manner. We suggest that E. carotovora employ quorum sensing to avoid the premature production of PCWDEs and subsequent activation of plant defense responses. To test whether modulating this sensory system would affect the outcome of a plant-pathogen interaction, we generated transgenic tobacco, producing OHL. This was accomplished by ectopic expression in tobacco of the E. carotovora gene expI, which is responsible for OHL biosynthesis. We show that expI-positive transgenic tobacco lines produced the active pheromone and partially complemented the avirulent phenotype of expI mutants. The OHL-producing tobacco lines exhibited enhanced resistance to infection by wild-type E. carotovora. The results were confirmed by exogenous addition of OHL to wild-type plants, which also resulted in increased resistance to E. carotovora.

  8. Global and Phylogenetic Distribution of Quorum Sensing Signals, Acyl Homoserine Lactones, in the Family of Vibrionaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bastian Barker Rasmussen

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial quorum sensing (QS and the corresponding signals, acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs, were first described for a luminescent Vibrio species. Since then, detailed knowledge has been gained on the functional level of QS; however, the abundance of AHLs in the family of Vibrionaceae in the environment has remained unclear. Three hundred and one Vibrionaceae strains were collected on a global research cruise and the prevalence and profile of AHL signals in this global collection were determined. AHLs were detected in 32 of the 301 strains using Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Chromobacterium violaceum reporter strains. Ethyl acetate extracts of the cultures were analysed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (MS with automated tandem MS confirmation for AHLs. N-(3-hydroxy-hexanoyl (OH-C6 and N-(3-hydroxy-decanoyl (OH-C10 homoserine lactones were the most common AHLs found in 17 and 12 strains, respectively. Several strains produced a diversity of different AHLs, including N-heptanoyl (C7 HL. AHL-producing Vibrionaceae were found in polar, temperate and tropical waters. The AHL profiles correlated with strain phylogeny based on gene sequence homology, however not with geographical location. In conclusion, a wide range of AHL signals are produced by a number of clades in the Vibrionaceae family and these results will allow future investigations of inter- and intra-species interactions within this cosmopolitan family of marine bacteria.

  9. Deuterium-labelled N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) - inter-kingdom signalling molecules - synthesis, structural studies, and interactions with model lipid membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jakubczyk, Dorota [Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Barth, Christoph; Anastassacos, Frances; Koelsch, Patrick; Schepers, Ute [Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Kubas, Adam; Fink, Karin [Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Brenner-Weiss, Gerald [Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Braese, Stefan [Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2012-04-15

    N-Acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are synthesized by Gram-negative bacteria. These quorum-sensing molecules play an important role in the context of bacterial infection and biofilm formation. They also allow communication between microorganisms and eukaryotic cells (inter-kingdom signalling). However, very little is known about the entire mechanism of those interactions. Precise structural studies are required to analyse the different AHL isomers as only one form is biologically most active. Theoretical studies combined with experimental infrared and Raman spectroscopic data are therefore undertaken to characterise the obtained compounds. To mimic interactions between AHL and cell membranes, we studied the insertion of AHL in supported lipid bilayers, using vibrational sum-frequency-generation spectroscopy. Deuterium-labelled AHLs were thus synthesized. Starting from readily available deuterated fatty acids, a two-step procedure towards deuterated N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones with varying chain lengths is described. This included the acylation of Meldrum's acid followed by amidation. Additionally, the detailed analytical evaluation of the products is presented herein. (orig.)

  10. Modeling and validation of autoinducer-mediated bacterial gene expression in microfluidic environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Caitlin M.; Stoy, William; Su, Peter; Harber, Marie C.; Bardill, J. Patrick; Hammer, Brian K.; Forest, Craig R.

    2014-01-01

    Biosensors exploiting communication within genetically engineered bacteria are becoming increasingly important for monitoring environmental changes. Currently, there are a variety of mathematical models for understanding and predicting how genetically engineered bacteria respond to molecular stimuli in these environments, but as sensors have miniaturized towards microfluidics and are subjected to complex time-varying inputs, the shortcomings of these models have become apparent. The effects of microfluidic environments such as low oxygen concentration, increased biofilm encapsulation, diffusion limited molecular distribution, and higher population densities strongly affect rate constants for gene expression not accounted for in previous models. We report a mathematical model that accurately predicts the biological response of the autoinducer N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated green fluorescent protein expression in reporter bacteria in microfluidic environments by accommodating these rate constants. This generalized mass action model considers a chain of biomolecular events from input autoinducer chemical to fluorescent protein expression through a series of six chemical species. We have validated this model against experimental data from our own apparatus as well as prior published experimental results. Results indicate accurate prediction of dynamics (e.g., 14% peak time error from a pulse input) and with reduced mean-squared error with pulse or step inputs for a range of concentrations (10 μM–30 μM). This model can help advance the design of genetically engineered bacteria sensors and molecular communication devices. PMID:25379076

  11. Antipathogenic potential of marine Bacillus sp. SS4 on N-acyl ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Antipathogenic therapy is an outcome of the quorum-sensing inhibition (QSI) mechanism, which targets autoinducer-dependent virulent gene expression in bacterial pathogens. -acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) acts as a key regulator in the production of virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa ...

  12. A proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana seedling responses to 3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine lactone, a bacterial quorum-sensing signal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miao, Chunjuan; Liu, Fang; Zhao, Qian; Jia, Zhenhua; Song, Shuishan

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► 3OC8-HSL can change the expression of diverse proteins in Arabidopsis. ► 3OC8-HSL responsive proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. ► Plant could have an extensive range of functional responses to bacterial AHL. -- Abstract: N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are a class of bacterial quorum-sensing (QS) signals that are commonly used by Gram-negative bacteria for cell-to-cell communication. Recently, it has become evident that AHLs can regulate plant root growth and trigger plant defense responses; however, little is known about the plant response mechanisms to bacterial QS signals. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to investigate the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings to N-3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC8-HSL), a bacterial QS signal. The results revealed that the abundance of 53 protein spots was significantly altered; two thirds of these proteins were found to be up-regulated after 3OC8-HSL treatment. Thirty-four proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. These 3OC8-HSL-responsive proteins, in addition to one protein of unknown function, are implicated in a variety of physiological processes, including metabolism of carbohydrate and energy, protein biosynthesis and quality control systems, defense response and signal transduction and cytoskeleton remodeling. Our bioinformatic analysis indicated that the chloroplasts are the intracellular organelles most influenced by the exposure to 3OC8-HSL. Our data indicate that plants have an extensive range of functional responses to bacterial AHLs that may play important roles in the interaction between plants and bacteria.

  13. Characterization of N-Acylhomoserine Lactones Produced by Bacteria Isolated from Industrial Cooling Water Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noriya Okutsu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The cooling water systems are used to remove heat generated in the various industries. Biofouling of the cooling water systems causes blocking of condenser pipes and the heat exchanger tubes. In many Gram-negative bacteria, N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL are used as quorum-sensing signal molecule and associated with biofilm formation. To investigate the relationship between quorum sensing and biofouling in the cooling water system, we isolated a total of 192 bacterial strains from the five cooling water systems, and screened for AHL production. Seven isolates stimulated AHL-mediated purple pigment production in AHL reporter strain Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 or VIR07. Based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences, AHL-producing isolates were assigned to Aeromonas hydrophila, Lysobacter sp., Methylobacterium oryzae, and Bosea massiliensis. To the best of our knowledge, B. massiliensis and Lysobacter sp. have not been reported as AHL-producing species in the previous researches. AHLs extracted from the culture supernatants of B. massiliensis and Lysobacter sp. were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. AHLs produced by B. massiliensis were assigned as N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL, N-(3-oxohexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL, and N-(3-oxooctanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HSL. AHLs produced by Lysobacter sp. were assigned as N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL and N-(3-oxodecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C10-HSL. This is the first report of identification of AHLs produced by B. massiliensis and Lysobacter sp. isolated from the cooling water system.

  14. A proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana seedling responses to 3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine lactone, a bacterial quorum-sensing signal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miao, Chunjuan, E-mail: chunjuanjay@163.com [Biology Institute, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Hebei Engineering and Technology Center of Microbiological Control on Main Crop Disease, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Liu, Fang, E-mail: liufang830818@126.com [Biology Institute, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Hebei Engineering and Technology Center of Microbiological Control on Main Crop Disease, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Zhao, Qian, E-mail: zhqbluesea@163.com [Biology Institute, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Hebei Engineering and Technology Center of Microbiological Control on Main Crop Disease, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Jia, Zhenhua, E-mail: zhenhuaj@hotmail.com [Biology Institute, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Hebei Engineering and Technology Center of Microbiological Control on Main Crop Disease, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Song, Shuishan, E-mail: shuishans@hotmail.com [Biology Institute, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China); Hebei Engineering and Technology Center of Microbiological Control on Main Crop Disease, Shijiazhuang 050051 (China)

    2012-10-19

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 3OC8-HSL can change the expression of diverse proteins in Arabidopsis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 3OC8-HSL responsive proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Plant could have an extensive range of functional responses to bacterial AHL. -- Abstract: N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are a class of bacterial quorum-sensing (QS) signals that are commonly used by Gram-negative bacteria for cell-to-cell communication. Recently, it has become evident that AHLs can regulate plant root growth and trigger plant defense responses; however, little is known about the plant response mechanisms to bacterial QS signals. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to investigate the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings to N-3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC8-HSL), a bacterial QS signal. The results revealed that the abundance of 53 protein spots was significantly altered; two thirds of these proteins were found to be up-regulated after 3OC8-HSL treatment. Thirty-four proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. These 3OC8-HSL-responsive proteins, in addition to one protein of unknown function, are implicated in a variety of physiological processes, including metabolism of carbohydrate and energy, protein biosynthesis and quality control systems, defense response and signal transduction and cytoskeleton remodeling. Our bioinformatic analysis indicated that the chloroplasts are the intracellular organelles most influenced by the exposure to 3OC8-HSL. Our data indicate that plants have an extensive range of functional responses to bacterial AHLs that may play important roles in the interaction between plants and bacteria.

  15. Tasting Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.Human neutrophils express the bitter receptor T2R38 as sensor for the quorum sensing molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susanne eMaurer

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria communicate with each other via specialized signalling molecules, known as quorum sensing molecules or autoinducers. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa-derived quorum sensing molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL-12, however, also activates mammalian cells. As shown previously, AHL-12 induced chemotaxis, up-regulated CD11b expression, and enhanced phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN. Circumstantial evidence concurred with a receptor for AHL-12, which so far has been elusive. We investigated the bitter receptor T2R38 as a potential candidate. Although identified as a taste receptor, cells outside the gustatory system express T2R38, for example epithelial cells in the lung. We now detected T2R38 in peripheral blood neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes on the cell membrane, but also intracellular. In neutrophils, T2R38 was located in vesicles with characteristics of lipid droplets, and super-resolution microscopy showed a co-localisation with the lipid droplet membrane. Neutrophils take up AHL-12, and it co-localized with T2R38 as seen by laser scan microscopy. Binding of AHL-12 to T2R28 was confirmed by pull-down assays using biotin-coupled AHL-12 as bait. A commercially available antibody to T2R38 inhibited binding of AHL-12 to neutrophils, and this antibody by itself stimulated neutrophils, similarly to AHL-12. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for expression of functional T2R38 on neutrophils, and are compatible with the notion that T2R38 is the receptor for AHL-12 on neutrophils.

  16. Quorum sensing signaling molecules produced by reference and emerging soft-rot bacteria (Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp..

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Crépin

    Full Text Available Several small diffusible molecules are involved in bacterial quorum sensing and virulence. The production of autoinducers-1 and -2, quinolone, indole and γ-amino butyrate signaling molecules was investigated in a set of soft-rot bacteria belonging to six Dickeya or Pectobacterium species including recent or emerging potato isolates.Using bacterial biosensors, immunoassay, and chromatographic analysis, we showed that soft-rot bacteria have the common ability to produce transiently during their exponential phase of growth the N-3-oxo-hexanoyl- or the N-3-oxo-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactones and a molecule of the autoinducer-2 family. Dickeya spp. produced in addition the indole-3-acetic acid in tryptophan-rich conditions. All these signaling molecules have been identified for the first time in the novel Dickeya solani species. In contrast, quinolone and γ-amino butyrate signals were not identified and the corresponding synthases are not present in the available genomes of soft-rot bacteria. To determine if the variations of signal production according to growth phase could result from expression modifications of the corresponding synthase gene, the respective mRNA levels were estimated by reverse transcriptase-PCR. While the N-acyl-homoserine lactone production is systematically correlated to the synthase expression, that of the autoinducer-2 follows the expression of an enzyme upstream in the activated methyl cycle and providing its precursor, rather than the expression of its own synthase.Despite sharing the S-adenosylmethionine precursor, no strong link was detected between the production kinetics or metabolic pathways of autoinducers-1 and -2. In contrast, the signaling pathway of autoinducer-2 seems to be switched off by the indole-3-acetic acid pathway under tryptophan control. It therefore appears that the two genera of soft-rot bacteria have similarities but also differences in the mechanisms of communication via the diffusible molecules

  17. Quorum Sensing Signaling Molecules Produced by Reference and Emerging Soft-Rot Bacteria (Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crépin, Alexandre; Barbey, Corinne; Beury-Cirou, Amélie; Hélias, Valérie; Taupin, Laure; Reverchon, Sylvie; Nasser, William; Faure, Denis; Dufour, Alain; Orange, Nicole; Feuilloley, Marc; Heurlier, Karin; Burini, Jean-François; Latour, Xavier

    2012-01-01

    Background Several small diffusible molecules are involved in bacterial quorum sensing and virulence. The production of autoinducers-1 and -2, quinolone, indole and γ-amino butyrate signaling molecules was investigated in a set of soft-rot bacteria belonging to six Dickeya or Pectobacterium species including recent or emerging potato isolates. Methodology/Principal Findings Using bacterial biosensors, immunoassay, and chromatographic analysis, we showed that soft-rot bacteria have the common ability to produce transiently during their exponential phase of growth the N-3-oxo-hexanoyl- or the N-3-oxo-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactones and a molecule of the autoinducer-2 family. Dickeya spp. produced in addition the indole-3-acetic acid in tryptophan-rich conditions. All these signaling molecules have been identified for the first time in the novel Dickeya solani species. In contrast, quinolone and γ-amino butyrate signals were not identified and the corresponding synthases are not present in the available genomes of soft-rot bacteria. To determine if the variations of signal production according to growth phase could result from expression modifications of the corresponding synthase gene, the respective mRNA levels were estimated by reverse transcriptase-PCR. While the N-acyl-homoserine lactone production is systematically correlated to the synthase expression, that of the autoinducer-2 follows the expression of an enzyme upstream in the activated methyl cycle and providing its precursor, rather than the expression of its own synthase. Conclusions/Significance Despite sharing the S-adenosylmethionine precursor, no strong link was detected between the production kinetics or metabolic pathways of autoinducers-1 and -2. In contrast, the signaling pathway of autoinducer-2 seems to be switched off by the indole-3-acetic acid pathway under tryptophan control. It therefore appears that the two genera of soft-rot bacteria have similarities but also differences in the

  18. Identification, cloning and lactonase activity of recombinant protein of N-acyl homoserine lactonase (AiiA from Bacillus thuringiensis 147-115-16 strain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alvaro Mauricio Florez Escobar

    2014-01-01

    Short title: N-acyl homoserine lactonase (AiiA from Bacillus thuringiensis  Abstract: The quorum-quenching N-acyl homoserine lactonases are a family of bacterial metalloenzymes that participate in degradation of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs, disrupting the quorum sensing system of gram negative bacterial species. From a collection of Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolated in Colombia from plants and exhibiting toxic activity against lepidopteran insects, 310 bacterial isolates were tested to determine lactonase activity by using biosensor systems in presence of synthetic N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL and N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL. From them, 251 strains showed degrading activity to both C6-HSL and C8-HSL, 57% exhibited degrading activity to C6-HSL and 43% to C8-HSL. One B. thuringiensis strain, denoted as 147-115-16, that exhibit high degrading activity to C6-HSL and C8-HSL, was able to attenuate soft rot symptoms in infected potato slices with Pectobacterium carotovorum. This strain contains an homologous of the aiiA gene that was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Esherichia coli DE3. The recombinant protein AiiA147-11516 displays activity to C6-HSL, C8-HSL, N-(β-ketocaproyl (3-O-C6-HSL and N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl (3-O-C12-HSL. The recombinant strain in the presence of P. caratovorum cultures was able to attenuate the infection, suggesting that it interferes either with the accumulation or with the response to the AHLs signals. Acording to this data and based on previous report from recombinant AiiA147-11516, this enzyme exhibits activity to a wide range of catalytic substrates suggesting its industrial application in the disease control programs through plants transformation. Key words: lactones, Quorum sensing, Quorum quenching, Lactonases, Pectobacterium caratovorum Resumen: Las N-acíl homoserina lactonasas son una familia de metaloenzimas bacterianas que participan en la degradación de N-acil homoserina lactonas (AHLs

  19. Endophytic Actinomycetes: A Novel Source of Potential Acyl Homoserine Lactone Degrading Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surang Chankhamhaengdecha

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Several Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria employ N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (HSL quorum sensing (QS system to control their virulence traits. Degradation of acyl-HSL signal molecules by quorum quenching enzyme (QQE results in a loss of pathogenicity in QS-dependent organisms. The QQE activity of actinomycetes in rhizospheric soil and inside plant tissue was explored in order to obtain novel strains with high HSL-degrading activity. Among 344 rhizospheric and 132 endophytic isolates, 127 (36.9% and 68 (51.5% of them, respectively, possessed the QQE activity. The highest HSL-degrading activity was at 151.30±3.1 nmole/h/mL from an endophytic actinomycetes isolate, LPC029. The isolate was identified as Streptomyces based on 16S  rRNA gene sequence similarity. The QQE from LPC029 revealed HSL-acylase activity that was able to cleave an amide bond of acyl-side chain in HSL substrate as determined by HPLC. LPC029 HSL-acylase showed broad substrate specificity from C6- to C12-HSL in which C10HSL is the most favorable substrate for this enzyme. In an in vitro pathogenicity assay, the partially purified HSL-acylase efficiently suppressed soft rot of potato caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum ssp. carotovorum as demonstrated. To our knowledge, this is the first report of HSL-acylase activity derived from an endophytic Streptomyces.

  20. Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 produces a novel type of acyl-homoserine lactone with a double unsaturated side chain under methylotrophic growth conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieto Penalver, Carlos G; Morin, Danièle; Cantet, Franck; Saurel, Olivier; Milon, Alain; Vorholt, Julia A

    2006-01-23

    Acyl-homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs) have emerged as important regulatory molecules for many gram-negative bacteria. We have found that Methylobacterium extorquens AM1, a member of the pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs commonly present on plant surfaces, produces several acyl-HSLs depending upon the carbon source. A novel HSL was discovered with a double unsaturated carbon chain (N-(tetradecenoyl)) (C14:2) and characterized by MS and proton NMR. This long-chain acyl-HSL is synthesized by MlaI that also directs synthesis of C14:1-HSL. The Alphaproteobacterium also produces N-hexanoyl-HSL (C6-HSL) and N-octanoyl-HSL (C8-HSL) via MsaI.

  1. Stereochemical insignificance discovered in Acinetobacter baumannii quorum sensing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda L Garner

    Full Text Available Stereochemistry is a key aspect of molecular recognition for biological systems. As such, receptors and enzymes are often highly stereospecific, only recognizing one stereoisomer of a ligand. Recently, the quorum sensing signaling molecules used by the nosocomial opportunistic pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, were identified, and the primary signaling molecule isolated from this species was N-(3-hydroxydodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. A plethora of bacterial species have been demonstrated to utilize 3-hydroxy-acylhomoserine lactone autoinducers, and in virtually all cases, the (R-stereoisomer was identified as the natural ligand and exhibited greater autoinducer activity than the corresponding (S-stereoisomer. Using chemical synthesis and biochemical assays, we have uncovered a case of stereochemical insignificance in A. baumannii and provide a unique example where stereochemistry appears nonessential for acylhomoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing signaling. Based on previously reported phylogenetic studies, we suggest that A. baumannii has evolutionarily adopted this unique, yet promiscuous quorum sensing system to ensure its survival, particularly in the presence of other proteobacteria.

  2. Diverse profiles of N-acyl-homoserine lactone molecules found in cnidarians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ransome, Emma; Munn, Colin B; Halliday, Nigel; Cámara, Miguel; Tait, Karen

    2014-02-01

    Many marine habitats, such as the surface and tissues of marine invertebrates, including corals, harbour diverse populations of microorganisms, which are thought to play a role in the health of their hosts and influence mutualistic and competitive interactions. Investigating the presence and stability of quorum sensing (QS) in these ecosystems may shed light on the roles and control of these bacterial communities. Samples of 13 cnidarian species were screened for the presence and diversity of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs; a prevalent type of QS molecule) using thin-layer chromatography and an Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4 biosensor. Ten of 13 were found to harbour species-specific, conserved AHL profiles. AHLs were confirmed in Anemonia viridis using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. To assess temporal role and stability, AHLs were investigated in A. viridis from intertidal pools over 16 h. Patterns of AHLs showed conserved profiles except for two mid-chain length AHLs, which increased significantly over the day, peaking at 20:00, but had no correlation with pool chemistry. Denaturing gel electrophoresis of RT-PCR-amplified bacterial 16S rRNA showed the presence of an active bacterial community that changed in composition alongside AHL profiles and contained a number of bands that affiliate with known AHL-producing bacteria. Investigations into the quorum sensing-controlled, species-specific roles of these bacterial communities and how these regulatory circuits are influenced by the coral host and members of the bacterial community are imperative to expand our knowledge of these interactions with respect to the maintenance of coral health. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Inhibitory role of acyl homoserine lactones in hemolytic activity and viability of Streptococcus pyogenes M6 S165.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saroj, Sunil D; Holmer, Linda; Berengueras, Júlia M; Jonsson, Ann-Beth

    2017-03-17

    Streptococcus pyogenes an adapted human pathogen asymptomatically colonizes the nasopharynx, among other polymicrobial communities. However, information on the events leading to the colonization and expression of virulence markers subject to interspecies and host-bacteria interactions are limited. The interference of acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) with the hemolytic activity and viability of S. pyogenes M6 S165 was examined. AHLs, with fatty acid side chains ≥12 carbon atoms, inhibited hemolytic activity by downregulating the expression of the sag operon involved in the production of streptolysin S. Inhibitory AHLs upregulated the expression of transcriptional regulator LuxR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed the interaction of LuxR with the region upstream of sagA. AHL-mediated bactericidal activity observed at higher concentrations (mM range) was an energy-dependent process, constrained by the requirement of glucose and iron. Ferrichrome transporter FtsABCD facilitated transport of AHLs across the streptococcal membrane. The study demonstrates a previously unreported role for AHLs in S. pyogenes virulence.

  4. N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone-degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa PsDAHP1 protects zebrafish against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinoj, Gopalakrishnan; Jayakumar, Rengarajan; Chen, Jiann-Chu; Withyachumnarnkul, Boonsirm; Shanthi, Sathappan; Vaseeharan, Baskaralingam

    2015-01-01

    Four strains of N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL)-degrading Pseudomonas spp., named PsDAHP1, PsDAHP2, PsDAHP3, and PsDAHP4 were isolated and identified from the intestine of Fenneropenaeus indicus. PsDAHP1 showed the highest AHL-degrading activity among the four isolates. PsDAHP1 inhibited biofilm-forming exopolysaccharide and altered cell surface hydrophobicity of virulent green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Vibrio parahaemolyticus DAHV2 (GFP-VpDAHV2). Oral administration of PsDAHP1 significantly reduced zebrafish mortality caused by GFP-VpDAHV2 challenge, and inhibited colonisation of GFP-VpDAHV2 in the gills and intestine of zebrafish as evidence by confocal laser scanning microscope and selective plating. Furthermore, zebrafish receiving PsDAHP1-containing feed had increased phagocytic cells of its leucocytes, increased serum activities of superoxide dismutase and lysozyme. The results suggest that Pseudomonas aeruginosa PsDAHP1 could protect zebrafish from V. parahaemolyticus infection by inhibiting biofilm formation and enhancing defence mechanisms of the fish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Non-native acylated homoserine lactones reveal that LuxIR quorum sensing promotes symbiont stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Jessica S.; Geske, Grant D.; Blackwell, Helen E.; Ruby, Edward G.

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Quorum sensing, a group behavior coordinated by a diffusible pheromone signal and a cognate receptor, is typical of bacteria that form symbioses with plants and animals. LuxIR-type acyl homoserine-lactone (AHL) quorum sensing is common in Gram-negative proteobacteria, and many members of this group have additional quorum-sensing networks. The bioluminescent symbiont Vibrio fischeri encodes two AHL signal synthases: AinS and LuxI. AinS-dependent quorum sensing converges with LuxI-dependent quorum sensing at the LuxR regulatory element. Both AinS- and LuxI-mediated signaling are required for efficient and persistent colonization of the squid host, Euprymna scolopes. The basis of the mutualism is symbiont bioluminescence, which is regulated by both LuxI- and AinS-dependent quorum sensing, and is essential for maintaining a colonization of the host. Here, we used chemical and genetic approaches to probe the dynamics of LuxI- and AinS-mediated regulation of bioluminescence during symbiosis. We demonstrate that both native AHLs and non-native AHL analogs can be used to non-invasively and specifically modulate induction of symbiotic bioluminescence via LuxI-dependent quorum sensing. Our data suggest that the first day of colonization, during which symbiont bioluminescence is induced by LuxIR, is a critical period that determines the stability of the V. fischeri population once symbiosis is established. PMID:24191970

  6. N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone modulates mitochondrial function and suppresses proliferation in intestinal goblet cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Shiyu; Niu, Liqiong; Cai, Liuping; Geng, Yali; Hua, Canfeng; Ni, Yingdong; Zhao, Ruqian

    2018-05-15

    The quorum-sensing molecule N‑(3‑oxododecanoyl)‑l‑homoserine lactone (C12-HSL), produced by the Gram negative human pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, modulates mammalian cell behavior. Our previous findings suggested that C12-HSL rapidly decreases viability and induces apoptosis in LS174T goblet cells. In this study, the effects of 100 μM C12-HSL on mitochondrial function and cell proliferation in LS174T cells treated for 4 h were evaluated by real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry. The results showed that the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes IV and V were significantly increased (P cells after C12-HSL treatment, with elevated intracellular ATP generation (P cell cycle arrest upon C12-HSL treatment. Apoptosis and cell proliferation related genes showed markedly altered expression levels (P cells after C12-HSL treatment. Moreover, the paraoxonase 2 (PON2) inhibitor TQ416 (1 μM) remarkably reversed the above C12-HSL associated effects in LS174T cells. These findings indicated that C12-HSL alters mitochondrial energy production and function, and inhibits cell proliferation in LS174T cells, with PON2 involvement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. The Effect of Conformational Variability of Phosphotriesterase upon N-acyl-L-homoserine Lactone and Paraoxon Binding: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongling Zhan

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The organophosphorous hydrolase (PTE from Brevundimonas diminuta is capable of degrading extremely toxic organophosphorous compounds with a high catalytic turnover and broad substrate specificity. Although the natural substrate for PTE is unknown, its loop remodeling (loop 7-2/H254R led to the emergence of a homoserine lactonase (HSL activity that is undetectable in PTE (kcat/km values of up to 2 × 104, with only a minor decrease in PTE paraoxonase activity. In this study, homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations have been undertaken seeking to explain the reason for the substrate specificity for the wild-type and the loop 7-2/H254R variant. The cavity volume estimated results showed that the active pocket of the variant was almost two fold larger than that of the wild-type (WT enzyme. pKa calculations for the enzyme (the WT and the variant showed a significant pKa shift from WT standard values (ΔpKa = 3.5 units for the His254residue (in the Arg254 variant. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the displacement of loops 6 and 7 over the active site in loop 7-2/H254R variant is useful for N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL with a large aliphatic chain to site in the channels easily. Thence the expanding of the active pocket is beneficial to C4-HSL binding and has a little effect on paraoxon binding. Our results provide a new theoretical contribution of loop remodeling to the rapid divergence of new enzyme functions.

  8. The effect of environmental conditions on biofilm formation of Burkholderia pseudomallei clinical isolates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Siti K Ramli

    Full Text Available Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative saprophytic bacterium, is the causative agent of the potentially fatal melioidosis disease in humans. In this study, environmental parameters including temperature, nutrient content, pH and the presence of glucose were shown to play a role in in vitro biofilm formation by 28 B. pseudomallei clinical isolates, including four isolates with large colony variants (LCVs and small colony variants (SCVs morphotypes. Enhanced biofilm formation was observed when the isolates were tested in LB medium, at 30 °C, at pH 7.2, and in the presence of as little as 2 mM glucose respectively. It was also shown that all SVCs displayed significantly greater capacity to form biofilms than the corresponding LCVs when cultured in LB at 37 °C. In addition, octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(8-HSL, a quorum sensing molecule, was identified by mass spectrometry analysis in bacterial isolates referred to as LCV CTH, LCV VIT, SCV TOM, SCV CTH, 1 and 3, and the presence of other AHL's with higher masses; decanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(10-HSL and dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C(12-HSL were also found in all tested strain in this study. Last but not least, we had successfully acquired two Bacillus sp. soil isolates, termed KW and SA respectively, which possessed strong AHLs degradation activity. Biofilm formation of B. pseudomallei isolates was significantly decreased after treated with culture supernatants of KW and SA strains, demonstrating that AHLs may play a role in B. pseudomallei biofilm formation.

  9. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa N-acylhomoserine lactone quorum sensing molecules target IQGAP1 and modulate epithelial cell migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thommie Karlsson

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing (QS signaling allows bacteria to control gene expression once a critical population density is achieved. The Gram-negative human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHL as QS signals, which coordinate the production of virulence factors and biofilms. These bacterial signals can also modulate human cell behavior. Little is known about the mechanisms of the action of AHL on their eukaryotic targets. Here, we found that N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone 3O-C(12-HSL modulates human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell migration in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Using new 3O-C(12-HSL biotin and fluorescently-tagged probes for LC-MS/MS and confocal imaging, respectively, we demonstrated for the first time that 3O-C(12-HSL interacts and co-localizes with the IQ-motif-containing GTPase-activating protein IQGAP1 in Caco-2 cells. The interaction between IQGAP1 and 3O-C(12-HSL was further confirmed by pull-down assay using a GST-tagged protein with subsequent Western blot of IQGAP1 and by identifying 3O-C(12-HSL with a sensor bioassay. Moreover, 3O-C(12-HSL induced changes in the phosphorylation status of Rac1 and Cdc42 and the localization of IQGAP1 as evidenced by confocal and STED microscopy and Western blots. Our findings suggest that the IQGAP1 is a novel partner for P. aeruginosa 3O-C(12-HSL and likely the integrator of Rac1 and Cdc42- dependent altered cell migration. We propose that the targeting of IQGAP1 by 3O-C(12-HSL can trigger essential changes in the cytoskeleton network and be an essential component in bacterial--human cell communication.

  10. Quorum Quenching Bacillus sonorensis Isolated from Soya Sauce Fermentation Brine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok-Gan Chan

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available An N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL-degrading bacterial strain, L62, was isolated from a sample of fermentation brine of Chinese soya sauce by using rich medium agar supplemented with soya sauce (10% v/v. L62, a rod-shaped Gram positive bacterium with amylolytic activity, was phylogentically related to Bacillus sonorensis by 16S ribosomal DNA and rpoB sequence analyses. B. sonorensis L62 efficiently degraded N-3-oxohexanoyl homoserine lactone and N-octanoylhomoserine lactone. However, the aiiA homologue, encoding an autoinducer inactivation enzyme catalyzing the degradation of AHLs, was not detected in L62, suggesting the presence of a different AHL-degrading gene in L62. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of AHL-degrading B. sonorensis from soya sauce liquid state fermentation.

  11. In Planta Biocontrol of Pectobacterium atrosepticum by Rhodococcus erythropolis Involves Silencing of Pathogen Communication by the Rhodococcal Gamma-Lactone Catabolic Pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corinne Barbey

    Full Text Available The virulence of numerous Gram-negative bacteria is under the control of a quorum sensing process based on synthesis and perception of N-acyl homoserine lactones. Rhodococcus erythropolis, a Gram-positive bacterium, has recently been proposed as a biocontrol agent for plant protection against soft-rot bacteria, including Pectobacterium. Here, we show that the γ-lactone catabolic pathway of R. erythropolis disrupts Pectobacterium communication and prevents plant soft-rot. We report the first characterization and demonstration of N-acyl homoserine lactone quenching in planta. In particular, we describe the transcription of the R. erythropolis lactonase gene, encoding the key enzyme of this pathway, and the subsequent lactone breakdown. The role of this catabolic pathway in biocontrol activity was confirmed by deletion of the lactonase gene from R. erythropolis and also its heterologous expression in Escherichia coli. The γ-lactone catabolic pathway is induced by pathogen communication rather than by pathogen invasion. This is thus a novel and unusual biocontrol pathway, differing from those previously described as protecting plants from phytopathogens. These findings also suggest the existence of an additional pathway contributing to plant protection.

  12. Regulation of Long-Chain N-Acyl-Homoserine Lactones in Agrobacterium vitis

    OpenAIRE

    Hao, Guixia; Burr, Thomas J.

    2006-01-01

    Homologs of quorum-sensing luxR and luxI regulatory genes, avsR and avsI, were identified in Agrobacterium vitis strain F2/5. Compared to other LuxI proteins from related species, the deduced AvsI shows the greatest identity to SinI (71%) from Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021. AvsR possesses characteristic autoinducer binding and helix-turn-helix DNA binding domains and shares a high level of identity with SinR (38%) from Rm1021. Site-directed mutagenesis of avsR and avsI was performed, and both...

  13. [Activation of the bioluminescence of the sensor Escherichia coli strains used for detecting N-acyl-homoserine lactones in the presence of nitrofurans and NO generators].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaĭtseva, Iu V; Granik, V G; Belik, A S; Koksharova, O A; Khmel', I A

    2010-01-01

    Nitrofurans (nitrofurazone, nitrofurantoin, furazidin, nifuroxazide), and nitric oxide generators (sodium nitroprusside and isosorbide mononitrate) in subinhibitory concentrations were shown to significantly increase the bioluminescence of the sensor Escherichia coli strains used for detecting N-acyl-homoserine lactones, signaling molecules of Quorum Sensing (QS) regulatory systems. The highest activation of bioluminescence (up to 250-400 fold) was observed in the presence of nitrofurazone on E. coli DH5alpha biosensors containing lux-reporter plasmids pSB401 or pSB536. However, this activation was not specifically associated with the functioning of QS systems. We suggest that the effect observed results from a direct action of nitrofurans and NO donors on the process of bioluminescence. The data indicate the necessity of using the biosensors that make it possible to detect specific effects of substances tested on QS regulation.

  14. Stopping AI-2 chatter by means of an indigenous bacterium ( Acinetobacter sp. DKY-1): A new anti-biofouling strategy in an MBR for wastewater treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kibaek; Kim, Yea-Won; Lee, Seonki; Lee, Sang Hyun; Nahm, Chang Hyun; Kwon, Hyeokpil; Park, Pyung-Kyu; Choo, Kwang-Ho; Koyuncu, Ismail; Drews, Anja; Lee, Chung-Hak; Lee, Jung-Kee

    2018-05-01

    Bacterial quorum quenching (QQ) by means of degrading signaling molecules has been applied to anti-biofouling strategy in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) for wastewater treatment. However, the target signaling molecules have been limited to N-acyl homoserine lactones participating in intra-species quorum sensing. Here, an approach to disrupt autoinducer-2 (AI-2) signaling molecules participating in inter-species quorum sensing, was pursued as a next-generation anti-biofouling strategy in an MBR for wastewater treatment. We isolated an indigenous QQ bacterium ( Acinetobacter sp. DKY-1) that can attenuate the expression of quorum sensing (QS) response through inactivation of autoinducer-2 signaling molecule, 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD) among four kinds of autoinducer-2 QS bacteria. DKY-1 released AI-2 QQ compound(s), which was verified to be hydrophilic with a molecular weight biofouling. This new approach, combining molecular biology with wastewater engineering, could enlarge the range of QQ-MBR for anti-biofouling and energy savings in the field of wastewater treatment.

  15. A novel screen-printed mast cell-based electrochemical sensor for detecting spoilage bacterial quorum signaling molecules (N-acyl-homoserine-lactones) in freshwater fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Donglei; Liu, Yan; Jiang, Hui; Rao, Shengqi; Fang, Wu; Wu, Mangang; Yuan, Limin; Fang, Weiming

    2018-04-15

    A novel screen-printed cell-based electrochemical sensor was developed to assess bacterial quorum signaling molecules, N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). Screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), which possesses excellent properties such as low-cost, disposable and energy-efficient, was modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to improve electrochemical signals and enhance the sensitivity. Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cells encapsulated in alginate/graphene oxide (NaAgl/GO) hydrogel were immobilized on the MWNTs/SPCE to serve as recognition element. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed to record the cell impedance signal as-influenced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule, N-3-oxododecanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC 12 -HSL). Experimental results show that 3OC 12 -HSL caused a significant decrease in cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The EIS value decreased with concentrations of 3OC 12 -HSL in the range of 0.1-1μM, and the detection limit for 3OC 12 -HSL was calculated to be 0.094μM. These results were confirmed via cell viability, SEM, TEM analysis. Next, the sensor was successfully applied to monitoring the production of AHLs by spoilage bacteria in three different freshwater fish juice samples which efficiently proved the practicability of this cell based method. Therefore, the proposed cell sensor may serve as an innovative and effective approach to the measurement of quorum signaling molecule and thus provides a new avenue for real-time monitoring the spoilage bacteria in freshwater fish production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Multiple signalling systems controlling expression of luminescence in Vibrio harveyi: sequence and function of genes encoding a second sensory pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassler, B L; Wright, M; Silverman, M R

    1994-07-01

    Density-dependent expression of luminescence in Vibrio harveyi is regulated by the concentration of extracellular signal molecules (autoinducers) in the culture medium. One signal-response system is encoded by the luxL,M,N locus. The luxL and luxM genes are required for the production of an autoinducer (probably beta-hydroxybutyl homoserine lactone), and the luxN gene is required for the response to that autoinducer. Analysis of the phenotypes of LuxL,M and N mutants indicated that an additional signal-response system also controls density sensing. We report here the identification, cloning and analysis of luxP and luxQ, which encode functions required for a second density-sensing system. Mutants with defects in luxP and luxQ are defective in response to a second autoinducer substance. LuxQ, like LuxN, is similar to members of the family of two-component, signal transduction proteins and contains both a histidine protein kinase and a response regulator domain. Analysis of signalling mutant phenotypes indicates that there are at least two separate signal-response pathways which converge to regulate expression of luminescence in V. harveyi.

  17. The possible role of bacterial signal molecules N-acyl homoserine lactones in the formation of diatom-biofilm (Cylindrotheca sp.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Cuiyun; Fang, Shengtao; Chen, Dehui; Wang, Jianhua; Liu, Fanghua; Xia, Chuanhai

    2016-01-01

    Bacterial quorum sensing signal molecules N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) (C10-HSL, 3-OXO-C10-HSL and 3-OH-C10-HSL) as possible chemical cues were employed to investigate the role in the formation of fouling diatom-biofilm (Cylindrotheca sp.). Results showed that AHLs promoted Chlorophyll a (Chl.a) and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) contents in the diatom-biofilm. In the presence of AHLs-inhibitor 3, 4-Dibromo-2(5)H-furanone, which was used to avoid the possible interference of AHLs from bacteria, AHLs also increased the Chl.a and EPS contents. Scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope analysis further demonstrated that AHLs promoted the formation of the diatom-biofilm. Non-invasive micro-test technique showed that AHLs promoted Ca 2+ efflux in Cylindrotheca sp., which implied that Ca 2+ might be correlated with AHLs-induced positive effect on the formation of diatom-biofilm. This study provides direct evidences that AHLs play an important role in developing the diatom-biofilm and AHLs-inhibitors might be promising active agents in marine antifouling. - Highlights: •AHLs effectively increase Chl.a and EPS contents in diatom-biofilm. •SEM and CLSM further demonstrate that AHLs promote the formation of diatom-biofilm. •AHLs trigger algal cellular Ca 2+ efflux. •AHLs-inhibitors might be promising active agents in marine antifouling.

  18. Investigation of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecule production in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from cooling tower water and biofilm samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haslan, Ezgi; Kimiran-Erdem, Ayten

    2013-09-01

    In this study, 99 Gram-negative rod bacteria were isolated from cooling tower water, and biofilm samples were examined for cell-to-cell signaling systems, N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecule types, and biofilm formation capacity. Four of 39 (10 %) strains isolated from water samples and 14 of 60 (23 %) strains isolated from biofilm samples were found to be producing a variety of AHL signal molecules. It was determined that the AHL signal molecule production ability and the biofilm formation capacity of sessile bacteria is higher than planktonic bacteria, and there was a statistically significant difference between the AHL signal molecule production of these two groups (p cooling tower water and biofilm samples produced different types of AHL signal molecules and that there were different types of AHL signal molecules in an AHL extract of bacteria. In the present study, it was observed that different isolates of the same strains did not produce the same AHLs or did not produce AHL molecules, and bacteria known as AHL producers did not produce AHL. These findings suggest that detection of signal molecules in bacteria isolated from cooling towers may contribute to prevention of biofilm formation, elimination of communication among bacteria in water systems, and blockage of quorum-sensing controlled virulence of these bacteria.

  19. Characteristics of N-Acylhomoserine Lactones Produced by Hafnia alvei H4 Isolated from Spoiled Instant Sea Cucumber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-Man Hou

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to identify N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL produced by Hafnia alvei H4, which was isolated from spoiled instant sea cucumber, and to investigate the effect of AHLs on biofilm formation. Two biosensor strains, Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55, were used to detect the quorum sensing (QS activity of H. alvei H4 and to confirm the existence of AHL-mediated QS system. Thin layer chromatography (TLC and high resolution triple quadrupole liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS analysis of the AHLs extracted from the culture supernatant of H. alvei H4 revealed the existence of at least three AHLs: N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL, N-(3-oxo-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HSL, and N-butyryl-l-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL. This is the first report of the production of C4-HSL by H. alvei. In order to determine the relationship between the production of AHL by H. alvei H4 and bacterial growth, the β-galactosidase assay was employed to monitor AHL activity during a 48-h growth phase. AHLs production reached a maximum level of 134.6 Miller unites at late log phase (after 18 h and then decreased to a stable level of about 100 Miller unites. AHL production and bacterial growth displayed a similar trend, suggesting that growth of H. alvei H4 might be regulated by QS. The effect of AHLs on biofilm formation of H. alvei H4 was investigated by adding exogenous AHLs (C4-HSL, C6-HSL and 3-oxo-C8-HSL to H. alvei H4 culture. Biofilm formation was significantly promoted (p < 0.05 by 5 and 10 µM C6-HSL, inhibited (p < 0.05 by C4-HSL (5 and 10 µM and 5 µM 3-oxo-C8-HSL, suggesting that QS may have a regulatory role in the biofilm formation of H. alvei H4.

  20. Quorum-sensing regulation of the biofilm matrix genes (pel) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakuragi, Yumiko; Kolter, Roberto

    2007-07-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) has been previously shown to play an important role in the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms (D. G. Davies et al., Science 280:295-298, 1998). Although QS regulation of swarming and DNA release has been shown to play important roles in biofilm development, regulation of genes directly involved in biosynthesis of biofilm matrix has not been described. Here, transcription of the pel operon, essential for the production of a glucose-rich matrix exopolysaccharide, is shown to be greatly reduced in lasI and rhlI mutants. Chemical complementation of the lasI mutant with 3-oxo-dodecanoyl homoserine lactone restores pel transcription to the wild-type level and biofilm formation ability. These findings thus connect QS signaling and transcription of genes responsible for biofilm matrix biosynthesis.

  1. Identification and Quantification of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones Involved in Bacterial Communication by Small-Scale Synthesis of Internal Standards and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leipert, Jan; Treitz, Christian; Leippe, Matthias; Tholey, Andreas

    2017-12-01

    N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL) are small signal molecules involved in the quorum sensing of many gram-negative bacteria, and play an important role in biofilm formation and pathogenesis. Present analytical methods for identification and quantification of AHL require time-consuming sample preparation steps and are hampered by the lack of appropriate standards. By aiming at a fast and straightforward method for AHL analytics, we investigated the applicability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Suitable MALDI matrices, including crystalline and ionic liquid matrices, were tested and the fragmentation of different AHL in collision-induced dissociation MS/MS was studied, providing information about characteristic marker fragments ions. Employing small-scale synthesis protocols, we established a versatile and cost-efficient procedure for fast generation of isotope-labeled AHL standards, which can be used without extensive purification and yielded accurate standard curves. Quantitative analysis was possible in the low pico-molar range, with lower limits of quantification reaching from 1 to 5 pmol for different AHL. The developed methodology was successfully applied in a quantitative MALDI MS analysis of low-volume culture supernatants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  2. Biochar and microbial signaling: production conditions determine effects on microbial communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masiello, Caroline A.; Chen, Ye; Gao, Xiaodong; Liu, Shirley; Cheng, Hsiao-Ying; Bennett, Matthew R.; Rudgers, Jennifer A.; Wagner, Daniel S.; Zygourakis, Kyriacos; Silberg, Jonathan J.

    2013-01-01

    Charcoal has a long soil residence time, which has resulted in its production and use as a carbon sequestration technique (biochar). A range of biological effects can be triggered by soil biochar that can positively and negatively influence carbon storage, such as changing the decomposition rate of organic matter and altering plant biomass production. Sorption of cellular signals has been hypothesized to underlie some of these effects, but it remains unknown whether the binding of biochemical signals occurs, and if so, on time scales relevant to microbial growth and communication. We examined biochar sorption of N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone, an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) intercellular signaling molecule used by many gram-negative soil microbes to regulate gene expression. We show that wood biochars disrupt communication within a growing multicellular system that is made up of sender cells that synthesize AHL and receiver cells that express green fluorescent protein in response to an AHL signal. However, biochar inhibition of AHL-mediated cell-cell communication varied, with the biochar prepared at 700°C (surface area of 301 m2/g) inhibiting cellular communication 10-fold more than an equivalent mass of biochar prepared at 300°C (surface area of 3 m2/g). These findings provide the first direct evidence that biochars elicit a range of effects on gene expression dependent on intercellular signaling, implicating the method of biochar preparation as a parameter that could be tuned to regulate microbial-dependent soil processes, like nitrogen fixation and pest attack of root crops. PMID:24066613

  3. Biochar and microbial signaling: production conditions determine effects on microbial communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masiello, Caroline A; Chen, Ye; Gao, Xiaodong; Liu, Shirley; Cheng, Hsiao-Ying; Bennett, Matthew R; Rudgers, Jennifer A; Wagner, Daniel S; Zygourakis, Kyriacos; Silberg, Jonathan J

    2013-10-15

    Charcoal has a long soil residence time, which has resulted in its production and use as a carbon sequestration technique (biochar). A range of biological effects can be triggered by soil biochar that can positively and negatively influence carbon storage, such as changing the decomposition rate of organic matter and altering plant biomass production. Sorption of cellular signals has been hypothesized to underlie some of these effects, but it remains unknown whether the binding of biochemical signals occurs, and if so, on time scales relevant to microbial growth and communication. We examined biochar sorption of N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone, an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) intercellular signaling molecule used by many gram-negative soil microbes to regulate gene expression. We show that wood biochars disrupt communication within a growing multicellular system that is made up of sender cells that synthesize AHL and receiver cells that express green fluorescent protein in response to an AHL signal. However, biochar inhibition of AHL-mediated cell-cell communication varied, with the biochar prepared at 700 °C (surface area of 301 m(2)/g) inhibiting cellular communication 10-fold more than an equivalent mass of biochar prepared at 300 °C (surface area of 3 m(2)/g). These findings provide the first direct evidence that biochars elicit a range of effects on gene expression dependent on intercellular signaling, implicating the method of biochar preparation as a parameter that could be tuned to regulate microbial-dependent soil processes, like nitrogen fixation and pest attack of root crops.

  4. Quorum sensing in Acinetobacter: with special emphasis on antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and quorum quenching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bindu Subhadra

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Acinetobacter is an important nosocomial, opportunistic human pathogen that is gradually gaining more attention as a major health threat worldwide. Quorum sensing (QS is a cell-cell communication system in which specific signaling molecules called autoinducers accumulate in the medium as the population density grows and control various physiological processes including production of virulence factors, biofilm and development of antibiotic resistance. The complex QS machinery in Acinetobacter is mediated by a two-component system which is homologous to the typical LuxI/LuxR system found in Gram-negative bacteria. This cell signaling system comprises of a sensor protein that functions as autoinducer synthase and a receptor protein which binds to the signal molecules, acyl homoserine lactones inducing a cascade of reactions. Lately, disruption of QS has emerged as an anti-virulence strategy with great therapeutic potential. Here, we depict the current understanding of the existing QS network in Acinetobacter and describe important anti-virulent strategies developed in order to effectively tackle this pathogen. In addition, the prospects of quorum quenching to control Acinetobacter infections is also been discussed.

  5. Rhodococcus erythropolis and Its γ-Lactone Catabolic Pathway: An Unusual Biocontrol System That Disrupts Pathogen Quorum Sensing Communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xavier Latour

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Rhodococcus erythropolis is an environmental Gram-positive Actinobacterium with a versatile metabolism involved in various bioconversions and degradations. Rhodococci are best known for their great potential in numerous decontamination and industrial processes. However, they can also prevent plant disease by disrupting quorum sensing-based communication of Gram-negative soft-rot bacteria, by degrading N-acyl-homoserine lactone signaling molecules. Such biocontrol activity results partly from the action of the γ-lactone catabolic pathway. This pathway is responsible for cleaving the lactone bond of a wide range of compounds comprising a γ-butyrolactone ring coupled to an alkyl or acyl chain. The aliphatic products of this hydrolysis are then activated and enter fatty acid metabolism. This short pathway is controlled by the presence of the γ-lactone, presumably sensed by a TetR-like transcriptional regulator, rather than the presence of the pathogen or the plant-host in the environment of the Rhodococci. Both the density and biocontrol activity of R. erythropolis may be boosted in crop systems. Treatment with a cheap γ-lactone stimulator, for example, the food flavoring γ-caprolactone, induces the activity in the biocontrol agent, R. erythropolis, of the pathway degrading signaling molecules; such treatments thus promote plant protection.

  6. The first report on Listeria monocytogenes producing siderophores and responds positively to N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules by enhanced biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naik, Milind Mohan; Bhangui, Purva; Bhat, Chinmay

    2017-12-01

    Listeria monocytogenes are Gram-positive well-known emerging food-borne pathogens causing listeriosis in humans. In the present study, we have isolated biofilm-forming Listeria sp. from utensils used by a local milk collection dairy society at Usgao Goa, which collects milk for Goa dairy. Through biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, the bacterium was confirmed to be L. monocytogenes and designated as strain BN3, having GenBank accession number MF095110. We report for the first time Gram-positive L. monocytogenes strain BN3 producing iron-chelating siderophores by chrome azurol S (CAS) agar test. Also, this is a first report which reveals that L. monocytogenes strain BN3 responds to N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone molecule (C 6 -HSL) by gradual increase in their biofilm-forming potential with a gradual increase in AHL (C 6 -HSL) concentration (250, 500 nM-1 μM) as compared to control revealed by crystal violet assay (CV) in microtiter plate. These results were further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A significant decrease in biofilm formation was observed when L. monocytogenes strain BN3 was treated with 10 µg/ml (R)-2-(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, but when 250 and 500 nM AHL molecules were added, biofilm formation in strain BN3 was found to be enhanced as compared to control even in the presence of antibacterial compound, (R)-2-(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid. These results revealed that AHL molecules nullify the effect of antimicrobial compound and promote biofilm formation in L. monocytogenes strain BN3.

  7. Autoinducers act as biological timers in Vibrio harveyi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anetzberger, Claudia; Reiger, Matthias; Fekete, Agnes; Schell, Ursula; Stambrau, Nina; Plener, Laure; Kopka, Joachim; Schmitt-Kopplin, Phillippe; Hilbi, Hubert; Jung, Kirsten

    2012-01-01

    Quorum sensing regulates cell density-dependent phenotypes and involves the synthesis, excretion and detection of so-called autoinducers. Vibrio harveyi strain ATCC BAA-1116 (recently reclassified as Vibrio campbellii), one of the best-characterized model organisms for the study of quorum sensing, produces and responds to three autoinducers. HAI-1, AI-2 and CAI-1 are recognized by different receptors, but all information is channeled into the same signaling cascade, which controls a specific set of genes. Here we examine temporal variations of availability and concentration of the three autoinducers in V. harveyi, and monitor the phenotypes they regulate, from the early exponential to the stationary growth phase in liquid culture. Specifically, the exponential growth phase is characterized by an increase in AI-2 and the induction of bioluminescence, while HAI-1 and CAI-1 are undetectable prior to the late exponential growth phase. CAI-1 activity reaches its maximum upon entry into stationary phase, while molar concentrations of AI-2 and HAI-1 become approximately equal. Similarly, autoinducer-dependent exoproteolytic activity increases at the transition into stationary phase. These findings are reflected in temporal alterations in expression of the luxR gene that encodes the master regulator LuxR, and of four autoinducer-regulated genes during growth. Moreover, in vitro phosphorylation assays reveal a tight correlation between the HAI-1/AI-2 ratio as input and levels of receptor-mediated phosphorylation of LuxU as output. Our study supports a model in which the combinations of autoinducers available, rather than cell density per se, determine the timing of various processes in V. harveyi populations.

  8. Autoinducers act as biological timers in Vibrio harveyi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Anetzberger

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing regulates cell density-dependent phenotypes and involves the synthesis, excretion and detection of so-called autoinducers. Vibrio harveyi strain ATCC BAA-1116 (recently reclassified as Vibrio campbellii, one of the best-characterized model organisms for the study of quorum sensing, produces and responds to three autoinducers. HAI-1, AI-2 and CAI-1 are recognized by different receptors, but all information is channeled into the same signaling cascade, which controls a specific set of genes. Here we examine temporal variations of availability and concentration of the three autoinducers in V. harveyi, and monitor the phenotypes they regulate, from the early exponential to the stationary growth phase in liquid culture. Specifically, the exponential growth phase is characterized by an increase in AI-2 and the induction of bioluminescence, while HAI-1 and CAI-1 are undetectable prior to the late exponential growth phase. CAI-1 activity reaches its maximum upon entry into stationary phase, while molar concentrations of AI-2 and HAI-1 become approximately equal. Similarly, autoinducer-dependent exoproteolytic activity increases at the transition into stationary phase. These findings are reflected in temporal alterations in expression of the luxR gene that encodes the master regulator LuxR, and of four autoinducer-regulated genes during growth. Moreover, in vitro phosphorylation assays reveal a tight correlation between the HAI-1/AI-2 ratio as input and levels of receptor-mediated phosphorylation of LuxU as output. Our study supports a model in which the combinations of autoinducers available, rather than cell density per se, determine the timing of various processes in V. harveyi populations.

  9. Tandem Mass Spectrometry Detection of Quorum Sensing Activity in Multidrug Resistant Clinical Isolate Acinetobacter baumannii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok-Gan Chan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Many Proteobacteria communicate via production followed by response of quorum sensing molecules, namely, N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. These molecules consist of a lactone moiety with N-acyl side chain with various chain lengths and degrees of saturation at C-3 position. AHL-dependent QS is often associated with regulation of diverse bacterial phenotypes including the expression of virulence factors. With the use of biosensor and high resolution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, the AHL production of clinical isolate A. baumannii 4KT was studied. Production of short chain AHL, namely, N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL and N-octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL, was detected.

  10. Proteomics of the bacterial cross-talk by quorum sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Cagno, Raffaella; De Angelis, Maria; Calasso, Maria; Gobbetti, Marco

    2011-01-01

    Words such as language and behavior are frequently used to depict "quorum sensing" (QS) in the literature. Simplifying the concept, language and cross-talk between bacteria, and between bacteria and animal or plants hosts determine the behavior (e.g., beneficial or pathogenic effects). Genomics and transcriptomics were the principal approaches used to study the multiple mechanisms of QS. Nevertheless, sequencing of genomes paved the way for another approach which consists on comparative and functional proteomics. This review aims at describing how the proteomic dictionary translates: (i) the languages (N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones, AHL; autoinducing peptide, AIP; autoinducer-2, AI-2) used by bacteria to communicate; (ii) signals of QS which induce various phenotypes (e.g., virulence, biofilm maturation); (iii) cross-talk between lactic acid bacteria within various food ecosystems (e.g. sourdough and fermented milk); (iv) probiotic messages at intra- and inter-species and interkingdom levels; and (v) words for quorum quenching (QQ). Proteomics is an indispensible discipline to elucidate the mechanisms of regulation of the multitude of language signals which diffuse through different microbial communities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Quorum sensing activity of Citrobacter amalonaticus L8A, a bacterium isolated from dental plaque.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Share-Yuan; Khan, Saad Ahmed; Tee, Kok Keng; Abu Kasim, Noor Hayaty; Yin, Wai-Fong; Chan, Kok-Gan

    2016-02-10

    Cell-cell communication is also known as quorum sensing (QS) that happens in the bacterial cells with the aim to regulate their genes expression in response to increased cell density. In this study, a bacterium (L8A) isolated from dental plaque biofilm was identified as Citrobacter amalonaticus by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Its N-acylhomoserine-lactone (AHL) production was screened by using two types of AHL biosensors namely Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Escherichia coli [pSB401]. Citrobacter amalonaticus strain L8A was identified and confirmed producing numerous types of AHL namely N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL), N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) and N-hexadecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C16-HSL). We performed the whole genome sequence analysis of this oral isolate where its genome sequence reveals the presence of QS signal synthase gene and our work will pave the ways to study the function of the related QS genes in this bacterium.

  12. Bacteroides species produce Vibrio harveyi autoinducer 2-related molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antunes, Luis Caetano Martha; Ferreira, Lívia Queiroz; Ferreira, Eliane Oliveira; Miranda, Karla Rodrigues; Avelar, Kátia Eliane Santos; Domingues, Regina Maria Cavalcanti Pilotto; Ferreira, Maria Candida de Souza

    2005-10-01

    Quorum sensing is a density-dependent gene regulation mechanism that has been described in many bacterial species in the last decades. Bacteria that use quorum sensing as part of their gene regulation circuits produce molecules called autoinducers that accumulate in the environment and activate target genes in a quorum-dependent way. Some specific clues led us to hypothesize that Bacteroides species can produce autoinducers and possess a quorum sensing system. First, Bacteroides are anaerobic bacteria that are frequently involved in polymicrobial infections. These infections often involve Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, two of the best understood examples of bacteria that employ quorum sensing systems as part of their pathogenesis. Also, studies have detected the presence of a quorum sensing gene involved in the production of autoinducers in Porphyromonas gingivalis, a species closely related to the Bacteroides genus. These and other evidences prompted us to investigate if Bacteroides strains could produce autoinducer molecules that could be detected by a Vibrio harveyi reporter system. In this paper, we show that supernatants of B. fragilis, B. vulgatus and B. distasonis strains are able to stimulate the V. harveyi quorum sensing system 2. Also, we were able to demonstrate that the stimulation detected is due to the production of autoinducer molecules and not the growth of reporter strains after addition of supernatant. Moreover, the phenomenon observed does not seem to represent the degradation of repressors possibly present in the culture medium used. We could also amplify bands from some of the strains tested using primers designed to the luxS gene of Escherichia coli. Altogether, our results show that B. fragilis, B. vulgatus and B. distasonis (but possibly some other species) can produce V. harveyi autoinducer 2-related molecules. However, the role of such molecules in the biology of these organisms remains unknown.

  13. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing signal molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone enhances keratinocyte migration and induces Mmp13 gene expression in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paes, Camila; Nakagami, Gojiro; Minematsu, Takeo; Nagase, Takashi; Huang, Lijuan; Sari, Yunita; Sanada, Hiromi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► An evidence of the positive effect of AHL on epithelialization process is provided. ► AHL enhances keratinocyte’s ability to migrate in an in vitro scratch wound model. ► AHL induces the expression of Mmp13. ► Topical application of AHL represents a possible strategy to treat chronic wounds. -- Abstract: Re-epithelialization is an essential step of wound healing involving three overlapping keratinocyte functions: migration, proliferation and differentiation. While quorum sensing (QS) is a cell density-dependent signaling system that enables bacteria to regulate the expression of certain genes, the QS molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone (AHL) exerts effects also on mammalian cells in a process called inter-kingdom signaling. Recent studies have shown that AHL improves epithelialization in in vivo wound healing models but detailed understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms are needed. The present study focused on the AHL as a candidate reagent to improve wound healing through direct modulation of keratinocyte’s activity in the re-epithelialization process. Results indicated that AHL enhances the keratinocyte’s ability to migrate in an in vitro scratch wound healing model probably due to the high Mmp13 gene expression analysis after AHL treatment that was revealed by real-time RT-PCR. Inhibition of activator protein 1 (AP-1) signaling pathway completely prevented the migration of keratinocytes, and also resulted in a diminished Mmp13 gene expression, suggesting that AP-1 might be essential in the AHL-induced migration. Taken together, these results imply that AHL is a promising candidate molecule to improve re-epithelialization through the induction of migration of keratinocytes. Further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanism of action and molecular pathway of AHL on the keratinocyte migration process.

  14. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing signal molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone enhances keratinocyte migration and induces Mmp13 gene expression in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paes, Camila, E-mail: camilaquinetti@gmail.com [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Nakagami, Gojiro, E-mail: gojiron-tky@umin.ac.jp [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Minematsu, Takeo, E-mail: tminematsu-tky@umin.ac.jp [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Nagase, Takashi, E-mail: tnagase@fb3.so-net.ne.jp [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Huang, Lijuan, E-mail: koureikenhlj@gmail.com [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Sari, Yunita, E-mail: yunita-tky@umin.ac.jp [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Sanada, Hiromi, E-mail: hsanada-tky@umin.ac.jp [University of Tokyo, Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

    2012-10-19

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An evidence of the positive effect of AHL on epithelialization process is provided. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AHL enhances keratinocyte's ability to migrate in an in vitro scratch wound model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AHL induces the expression of Mmp13. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Topical application of AHL represents a possible strategy to treat chronic wounds. -- Abstract: Re-epithelialization is an essential step of wound healing involving three overlapping keratinocyte functions: migration, proliferation and differentiation. While quorum sensing (QS) is a cell density-dependent signaling system that enables bacteria to regulate the expression of certain genes, the QS molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone (AHL) exerts effects also on mammalian cells in a process called inter-kingdom signaling. Recent studies have shown that AHL improves epithelialization in in vivo wound healing models but detailed understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms are needed. The present study focused on the AHL as a candidate reagent to improve wound healing through direct modulation of keratinocyte's activity in the re-epithelialization process. Results indicated that AHL enhances the keratinocyte's ability to migrate in an in vitro scratch wound healing model probably due to the high Mmp13 gene expression analysis after AHL treatment that was revealed by real-time RT-PCR. Inhibition of activator protein 1 (AP-1) signaling pathway completely prevented the migration of keratinocytes, and also resulted in a diminished Mmp13 gene expression, suggesting that AP-1 might be essential in the AHL-induced migration. Taken together, these results imply that AHL is a promising candidate molecule to improve re-epithelialization through the induction of migration of keratinocytes. Further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanism of action and molecular pathway of AHL on the keratinocyte migration

  15. Autoinducers act as biological timers in Vibrio harveyi

    OpenAIRE

    Anetzberger, C.; Reiger, M.; Fekete, A.; Schell, U.; Stambrau, N.; Plener, L.; Kopka, J.; Schmitt-Kopplin, P.; Hilbi, H.; Jung, K.

    2012-01-01

    Quorum sensing regulates cell density-dependent phenotypes and involves the synthesis, excretion and detection of so-called autoinducers. Vibrio harveyi strain ATCC BAA-1116 (recently reclassified as Vibrio campbellii), one of the best-characterized model organisms for the study of quorum sensing, produces and responds to three autoinducers. HAI-1, AI-2 and CAI-1 are recognized by different receptors, but all information is channeled into the same signaling cascade, which controls a specific ...

  16. Quorum Sensing Activity of Mesorhizobium sp. F7 Isolated from Potable Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-Ling Yong

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We isolated a bacterial isolate (F7 from potable water. The strain was identified as Mesorhizobium sp. by 16S rDNA gene phylogenetic analysis and screened for N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL production by an AHL biosensor. The AHL profile of the isolate was further analyzed using high resolution triple quadrupole liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS which confirmed the production of multiple AHLs, namely, N-3-oxo-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HSL and N-3-oxo-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C10-HSL. These findings will open the perspective to study the function of these AHLs in plant-microbe interactions.

  17. Molecular and vibrational structure of the extracellular bacterial signal compound N-butyryl-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bak, Jimmy; Spanget-Larsen, Jens

    2009-01-01

    contributions from suspended micro-crystalline aggregates and dissolved monomeric species. The key vibrational bands of the monomeric form of C4-HSL are reported here for the first time: 3425cm−1 (ν(N-H)), 1784cm−1 (ν(C&dbnd;O), lactone), 1688cm−1 (amide I), and 1494cm−1 (amide II) (CCl4)....

  18. Structure And Specificity of a Quorum-Quenching Lactonase (AiiB) From Agrobacterium Tumefaciens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, D.; Thomas, P.W.; Momb, J.; Hoang, Q.Q.; Petsko, G.A.; Ringe, D.; Fast, W.

    2009-06-03

    N-Acyl-l-homoserine lactone (AHL) mediated quorum-sensing regulates virulence factor production in a variety of Gram-negative bacteria. Proteins capable of degrading these autoinducers have been called 'quorum-quenching' enzymes, can block many quorum-sensing dependent phenotypes, and represent potentially useful reagents for clinical, agricultural, and industrial applications. The most characterized quorum-quenching enzymes to date are the AHL lactonases, which are metalloproteins that belong to the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily. Here, we report the cloning, heterologous expression, purification, metal content, substrate specificity, and three-dimensional structure of AiiB, an AHL lactonase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Much like a homologous AHL lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis, AiiB appears to be a metal-dependent AHL lactonase with broad specificity. A phosphate dianion is bound to the dinuclear zinc site and the active-site structure suggests specific mechanistic roles for an active site tyrosine and aspartate. To our knowledge, this is the second representative structure of an AHL lactonase and the first of an AHL lactonase from a microorganism that also produces AHL autoinducers. This work should help elucidate the hydrolytic ring-opening mechanism of this family of enzymes and also facilitate the design of more effective quorum-quenching catalysts.

  19. Quorum Sensing of Periodontal Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darije Plančak

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The term ‘quorum sensing’ describes intercellular bacterial communication which regulates bacterial gene expression according to population cell density. Bacteria produce and secrete small molecules, named autoinducers, into the intercellular space. The concentration of these molecules increases as a function of population cell density. Once the concentration of the stimulatory threshold is reached, alteration in gene expression occurs. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria possess different types of quorum sensing systems. Canonical LuxI/R-type/acyl homoserine lactone mediated quorum sensing system is the best studied quorum sensing circuit and is described in Gram-negative bacteria which employ it for inter-species communication mostly. Grampositive bacteria possess a peptide-mediated quorum sensing system. Bacteria can communicate within their own species (intra-species but also between species (inter-species, for which they employ an autoinducer-2 quorum sensing system which is called the universal language of the bacteria. Periodontal pathogenic bacteria possess AI-2 quorum sensing systems. It is known that they use it for regulation of biofilm formation, iron uptake, stress response and virulence factor expression. A better understanding of bacterial communication mechanisms will allow the targeting of quorum sensing with quorum sensing inhibitors to prevent and control disease.

  20. [The Effect of Introduction of the Heterologous Gene Encoding the N-acyl-homoserine Lactonase (aiiA) on the Properties of Burkholderia cenocepacia 370].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plyuta, V A; Lipasova, V A; Koksharova, O A; Veselova, M A; Kuznetsov, A E; Khmel, I A

    2015-08-01

    To study the role of Quorum Sensing (QS) regulation in the control of the cellular processes of Burkholderia cenocepacia 370, plasmid pME6863 was transferred into its cells. The plasmid contains a heterologous gene encoding for AiiA N-acyl-homoserine lactonase, which degrades the signaling molecules of the QS system of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL). An absence or reduction of AHL in the culture was revealed with the biosensors Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumifaciens NT1/pZLR4, respectively. The presence of the aiiA gene, which was cloned from Bacillus sp. A24 in the cells of B. cenocepacia 370, resulted in a lack of hemolytic activity, which reduced the extracellular proteolytic activity and decreased the cells' ability to migration in swarms on the surface of the agar medium. The introduction of the aiiA gene did not affect lipase activity, fatty acids synthesis, HCN synthesis, or biofilm formation. Hydrogen peroxide was shown to stimulate biofilm formation by B. cenocepacia 370 in concentrations that inhibited or weakly suppressed bacterial growth. The introduction of the aiiA gene into the cells did not eliminate this effect but it did reduce it.

  1. Quorum sensing: a non-conventional target for antibiotic discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naik, Varsha; Mahajan, Girish

    2013-10-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) is known to regulate different functions viz. pathogenesis, biofilm formation, and host colonization, along with other functions by regulating bacterial virulence determinants. Therefore, QS is deemed to be an interesting target to modulate pathogenesis. Also, there have been global reports of continuous emergence of antibiotic-resistant microbes; hence, an alternative treatment that compliments antibiotic activity is highly desirable. One such approach is to look for QS inhibitors, which can quench the virulence phenotypes exerted by pathogenic bacteria and compliment antibiotic treatment. In the present study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain was used as the model organism which produces three pigments viz. pyocyanin, pyoverdin and pyorubin. Pyocyanin synthesis is reported to be QS dependent and is one of the virulence factors of P. aeruginosa. Hence, we envisage inhibition of pyocyanin pigment would indicate QS inhibition (QSI). Auto-inducers like N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL/3-oxo-C12-HSL) and N-butyryl-L- homoserine lactone (BHL/C4-HSL) were used to enhance the pyocyanin pigment production by the model strain at different doses and time points. BHL, at 25 microM was found to be a better inducer of pyocyanin. Tannic acid (TA) was tested to suppress this pigment synthesis and it was found to be effective when assessed at different time points. About 5.12 mg/mL TA was found to be the optimum concentration at which pyocyanin was inhibited by 77.3%. Thus, we confirm that TA can be used as a QSI, either in its purest form or in the crude form found in various plant species, and could be considered for development to compliment antibiotic therapy.

  2. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, a quorum quenching yeast exhibiting lactonase activity isolated from a tropical shoreline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghani, Norshazliza Ab; Sulaiman, Joanita; Ismail, Zahidah; Chan, Xin-Yue; Yin, Wai-Fong; Chan, Kok-Gan

    2014-04-09

    Two microbial isolates from a Malaysian shoreline were found to be capable of degrading N-acylhomoserine lactones. Both Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry and 18S rDNA phylogenetic analyses confirmed that these isolates are Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Quorum quenching activities were detected by a series of bioassays and rapid resolution liquid chromatography analysis. The isolates were able to degrade various quorum sensing molecules namely N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL) and N-(3-hydroxyhexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL). Using a relactonisation assay to verify the quorum quenching mechanism, it is confirmed that Rh. mucilaginosa degrades the quorum sensing molecules via lactonase activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation of the fact that Rh. mucilaginosa has activity against a broad range of AHLs namely C6-HSL, 3-oxo-C6-HSL and 3-hydroxy-C6-HSL.

  3. Development of molecularly imprinted polymers to block quorum sensing and inhibit bacterial biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Luyao; Feng, Shaolong; de la Fuente-Nunez, Cesar; Hancock, Robert E W; Lu, Xiaonan

    2018-05-16

    Bacterial biofilms are responsible for most clinical infections and show increased antimicrobial resistance. In this study, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were developed to specifically capture prototypical quorum sensing autoinducers [i.e., N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12AHL)], interrupt quorum sensing, and subsequently inhibit biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important human nosocomial pathogen. The synthesis of MIPs was optimized by considering the amount and type of the functional monomers itaconic acid (IA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). IA-based MIPs showed high adsorption affinity towards 3-oxo-C12AHL with an imprinting factor of 1.68. Compared to IA-based MIPs, the adsorption capacity of HEMA-based MIPs was improved 5-fold. HEMA-based MIPs significantly reduced biofilm formation (by ~65%), while biofilm suppression by IA-based MIPs was neutralized due to increased bacterial attachment. The developed MIPs represent promising alternative biofilm intervention agents that can be applied to surfaces relevant to clinical settings and food processing equipment.

  4. A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirhonen, M; Flego, D; Heikinheimo, R; Palva, E T

    1993-06-01

    Virulence of the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora is dependent on the production and secretion of a complex arsenal of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes. Production of these exoenzymes is controlled by a global regulatory mechanism. A virulent mutants in one of the regulatory loci, expI, show a pleiotropic defect in the growth phase-dependent transcriptional activation of exoenzyme gene expression. The expI gene encodes a 26 kDa polypeptide that is structurally and functionally related to the luxI gene product of Vibrio fischeri. Functional similarity of expI and luxI has been demonstrated by reciprocal genetic complementation experiments. LuxI controls bioluminescence in V.fischeri in a growth phase-dependent manner by directing the synthesis of the diffusible autoinducer, N-(3-oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone. E.c. subsp. carotovora expI+ strains or Escherichia coli harboring the cloned expI gene excrete a small diffusible signal molecule that complements the expI mutation of Erwinia as well as a luxI mutation of V.fischeri. This extracellular complementation can also be achieved by E.coli harboring the luxI gene from V.fischeri or by adding the synthetic V.fischeri autoinducer. Both the production of the plant tissue-macerating exoenzymes and the ability of the bacteria to propagate in planta are restored in expI mutants by autoinducer addition. These data suggest that the same signal molecule is employed in control of such diverse processes as virulence in a plant pathogen and bioluminescence in a marine bacterium, and may represent a general mechanism by which bacteria modulate gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions.

  5. Selectivity and Efficiency of Conductive Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (c-MIP Based on 5-Phenyl-Dipyrromethane and 5-Phenol-Dipyrromethane for Quorum Sensing Precursors Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina Susmel

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Functional polymers that selectively recognize target compounds are developed by imprinting polymerization. In the present paper, two different dipyrromethanes, 5-phenol-dipyrromethane (5-pOH-DP and 5-phenyl-dipyrromethane (5-ph-DP, are synthetized and investigated to develop conductive molecularly imprinted polymer (cMIP sensors. As target molecules, two homoserine lactone derivatives were templated by an electrochemically driven polymerization process. Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs, also called homoserine lactones (HS, are a class of signaling molecules involved in bacterial quorum sensing (QS, which is a strategy of coordination among bacteria mediated by population density. The preparation of cMIP from 5-pOH-DP and 5-ph-DP in the presence of acetyl-homoserine lactone (Acetyl-HS or carboxybenzyl-homoserine lactone (Cbz-HS was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV. The cMIP selectivity and sensitivity were assessed by microgravimetry (QCM. Both series of measurements were performed with the aid of an Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM/QCM. The experimental evidences are discussed with respect to NMR measurements that were conducted to gain insight into the interactions established between monomers and templates. The NMR data interpretation offers preliminary information about the most probable positions involved in interaction development for both molecules and highlights the role of the hydration shell. The QCM-cMIP sensor was able to detect the analyte in the linear range from 10−8 mol·L−1 to 10−6 mol·L−1 and a limit of detection (LOD of 22.3 ng (3σ of the blank signal were evaluated. QCM rebinding tests demonstrated that cMIP selectivity was driven by the pendant group of dipyrromethane, which was also confirmed by the NMR data.

  6. Auto-inducing media for uniform isotope labeling of proteins with 15N, 13C and 2H

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guthertz, Nicolas; Klopp, Julia; Winterhalter, Aurélie; Fernández, César; Gossert, Alvar D.

    2015-01-01

    Auto-inducing media for protein expression offer many advantages like robust reproducibility, high yields of soluble protein and much reduced workload. Here, an auto-inducing medium for uniform isotope labelling of proteins with 15 N, 13 C and/or 2 H in E. coli is presented. So far, auto-inducing media have not found widespread application in the NMR field, because of the prohibitively high cost of labeled lactose, which is an essential ingredient of such media. Here, we propose using lactose that is only selectively labeled on the glucose moiety. It can be synthesized from inexpensive and readily available substrates: labeled glucose and unlabeled activated galactose. With this approach, uniformly isotope labeled proteins were expressed in unattended auto-inducing cultures with incorporation of 13 C, 15 N of 96.6 % and 2 H, 15 N of 98.8 %. With the present protocol, the NMR community could profit from the many advantages that auto-inducing media offer

  7. Characterisation of Non-Autoinducing Tropodithietic Acid (TDA Production from Marine Sponge Pseudovibrio Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catriona Harrington

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The search for new antimicrobial compounds has gained added momentum in recent years, paralleled by the exponential rise in resistance to most known classes of current antibiotics. While modifications of existing drugs have brought some limited clinical success, there remains a critical need for new classes of antimicrobial compound to which key clinical pathogens will be naive. This has provided the context and impetus to marine biodiscovery programmes that seek to isolate and characterize new activities from the aquatic ecosystem. One new antibiotic to emerge from these initiatives is the antibacterial compound tropodithietic acid (TDA. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the bioactivity of and the factors governing the production of TDA in marine Pseudovibrio isolates from a collection of marine sponges. The TDA produced by these Pseudovibrio isolates exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of clinical pathogens, while TDA tolerance was frequent in non-TDA producing marine isolates. Comparative genomics analysis suggested a high degree of conservation among the tda biosynthetic clusters while expression studies revealed coordinated regulation of TDA synthesis upon transition from log to stationary phase growth, which was not induced by TDA itself or by the presence of the C10-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing signal molecule.

  8. Detection of Quorum Sensing Activity in the Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain GB11

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huey Jia Cheng

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available A multidrug-resistant clinical bacteria strain GB11 was isolated from a wound swab on the leg of a patient. Identity of stain GB11 as Pseudomonas aeruginosa was validated by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS. Detection of the production of signaling molecules, N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs, was conducted using three different bacterial biosensors. A total of four different AHLs were found to be produced by strain GB11, namely N-butyryl homoserine lactone (C4-HSL, N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (C6-HSL, N-octanoyl homoserine lactone (C8-HSL and N-3-oxo-dodecanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL using high resolution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS. Of these detected AHLs, 3-oxo-C12-HSL was found to be the most abundant AHL produced by P. aeruginosa GB11.

  9. In silico and experimental methods revealed highly diverse bacteria with quorum sensing and aromatics biodegradation systems--a potential broad application on bioremediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yili; Zeng, Yanhua; Yu, Zhiliang; Zhang, Jing; Feng, Hao; Lin, Xiuchun

    2013-11-01

    Phylogenetic overlaps between aromatics-degrading bacteria and acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL) or autoinducer (AI) based quorum-sensing (QS) bacteria were evident in literatures; however, the diversity of bacteria with both activities had never been finely described. In-silico searching in NCBI genome database revealed that more than 11% of investigated population harbored both aromatic ring-hydroxylating-dioxygenase (RHD) gene and AHL/AI-synthetase gene. These bacteria were distributed in 10 orders, 15 families, 42 genus and 78 species. Horizontal transfers of both genes were common among them. Using enrichment and culture dependent method, 6 Sphingomonadales and 4 Rhizobiales with phenanthrene- or pyrene-degrading ability and AHL-production were isolated from marine, wetland and soil samples. Thin-layer-chromatography and gas-chromatography-mass-spectrum revealed that these Sphingomonads produced various AHL molecules. This is the first report of highly diverse bacteria that harbored both aromatics-degrading and QS systems. QS regulation may have broad impacts on aromatics biodegradation, and would be a new angle for developing bioremediation technology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Revealing strategies of quorum sensing in Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukami, Josiane; Abrantes, Julia Laura Fernandes; Del Cerro, Pablo; Nogueira, Marco Antonio; Ollero, Francisco Javier; Megías, Manuel; Hungria, Mariangela

    2018-01-01

    Azospirillum brasilense is an important plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) that requires several critical steps for root colonization, including biofilm and exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and cell motility. In several bacteria these mechanisms are mediated by quorum sensing (QS) systems that regulate the expression of specific genes mediated by the autoinducers N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). We investigated QS mechanisms in strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 of A. brasilense, which are broadly used in commercial inoculants in Brazil. Neither of these strains carries a luxI gene, but there are several luxR solos that might perceive AHL molecules. By adding external AHLs we verified that biofilm and EPS production and cell motility (swimming and swarming) were regulated via QS in Ab-V5, but not in Ab-V6. Differences were observed not only between strains, but also in the specificity of LuxR-type receptors to AHL molecules. However, Ab-V6 was outstanding in indole acetic acid (IAA) synthesis and this molecule might mimic AHL signals. We also applied the quorum quenching (QQ) strategy, obtaining transconjugants of Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 carrying a plasmid with acyl-homoserine lactonase. When maize (Zea mays L.) was inoculated with the wild-type and transconjugant strains, plant growth was decreased with the transconjugant of Ab-V5-confirming the importance of an AHL-mediated QS system-but did not affect plant growth promotion by Ab-V6.

  11. Auto-inducing media for uniform isotope labeling of proteins with {sup 15}N, {sup 13}C and {sup 2}H

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guthertz, Nicolas [Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Structural Biology (United Kingdom); Klopp, Julia; Winterhalter, Aurélie; Fernández, César; Gossert, Alvar D., E-mail: alvar.gossert@novartis.com [Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (Switzerland)

    2015-06-15

    Auto-inducing media for protein expression offer many advantages like robust reproducibility, high yields of soluble protein and much reduced workload. Here, an auto-inducing medium for uniform isotope labelling of proteins with {sup 15}N, {sup 13}C and/or {sup 2}H in E. coli is presented. So far, auto-inducing media have not found widespread application in the NMR field, because of the prohibitively high cost of labeled lactose, which is an essential ingredient of such media. Here, we propose using lactose that is only selectively labeled on the glucose moiety. It can be synthesized from inexpensive and readily available substrates: labeled glucose and unlabeled activated galactose. With this approach, uniformly isotope labeled proteins were expressed in unattended auto-inducing cultures with incorporation of {sup 13}C, {sup 15}N of 96.6 % and {sup 2}H, {sup 15}N of 98.8 %. With the present protocol, the NMR community could profit from the many advantages that auto-inducing media offer.

  12. Physical and functional maps of the luminescence gene cluster in an autoinducer-deficient Vibrio fischeri strain isolated from a squid light organ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, K M; Greenberg, E P

    1992-07-01

    Vibrio fischeri ES114 is an isolate representing the specific bacterial light organ symbiont of the squid Euprymna scolopes. An interesting feature of this strain of V. fischeri is that it is visibly luminous within the light organ of the squid host but is nonluminous when grown under standard laboratory conditions. Luminescence can be restored in laboratory culture, however, by the addition of autoinducer, a species-specific inducer of the V. fischeri luminescence (lux) genes. Most other isolates of V. fischeri produce autoinducer in sufficient quantities to induce luminescence in laboratory culture. We have cloned an 8.8-kb DNA fragment from V. fischeri ES114 that encodes all of the functions necessary for luminescence in Escherichia coli in the absence of exogenous autoinducer. This DNA contains both of the recognized V. fischeri lux regulatory genes, one of which (luxI) directs E. coli to synthesize autoinducer. The organization of the individual lux genes within this DNA fragment appears to be the same as that in the other strains of V. fischeri studied; the restriction map of the V. fischeri ES114 lux DNA has diverged substantially, however, from the largely conserved maps of V. fischeri MJ1 and ATCC 7744. Although E. coli containing the V. fischeri ES114 lux DNA synthesizes considerable amounts of autoinducer, V. fischeri ES114 synthesizes autoinducer only in small amounts, even when transcription of the lux genes, including luxI, is activated by the addition of exogenous autoinducer. Nonetheless, transconjugants of V. fischeri ES114 that contain multicopy plasmids bearing the ES114 lux genes synthesize sufficient autoinducer to induce luminescence. These results suggest that V. fischeri ES11r does not lack a functional luxl, nor is it deficient in the ability to synthesize metabolic precursors for autoinducer synthesis.

  13. Differential Modulation of Transcription Factors and Cytoskeletal Proteins in Prostate Carcinoma Cells by a Bacterial Lactone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Senthil R. Kumar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study tested the effect of a bacterial lactone N-(3-oxododecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL on the cytoskeletal and transcriptional genes and proteins in prostate adenocarcinoma (PA cells (DU145 and LNCaP and prostate small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC PC3 cells including their cellular viability and apoptosis. Our data indicate that cell migration and colony formation were affected in the presence of C12-HSL. C12-HSL induced apoptosis and altered viability of both PA and SCNC cells in a concentration dependent manner as measured by fluorescence and chemiluminescence assays. Compared to PCa cells, noncancerous prostate epithelial cells (RWPE1 were resistant to modification by C12-HSL. Further, the viability of PC3 cells in 3D matrix was suppressed by C12-HSL treatment as detected using calcein AM fluorescence in situ. C12-HSL treatment induced cytoskeletal associated protein expression of vinculin and RhoC, which may have implications in cancer cell motility, adhesion, and metastasis. IQGAP protein expression was reduced in DU145 and RWPE1 cells in the presence of C12-HSL. C12-HSL decreased STAT3 phosphorylation in DU145 cells but increased STAT1 protein phosphorylation in PC3 and LNCaP cells. Overall, these studies indicate that C12-HSL can trigger changes in transcription factors and cytoskeletal proteins and thereby modulate growth and migration properties of PCa cells.

  14. Crystal Structure of Homoserine Transacetylase from Haemophilus Influenzae Reveals a New Family of alpha/beta-Hydrolases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirza,I.; Nazi, I.; Korczynska, M.; Wright, G.; Berghuis, A.

    2005-01-01

    Homoserine transacetylase catalyzes one of the required steps in the biosynthesis of methionine in fungi and several bacteria. We have determined the crystal structure of homoserine transacetylase from Haemophilus influenzae to a resolution of 1.65 A. The structure identifies this enzyme to be a member of the alpha/beta-hydrolase structural superfamily. The active site of the enzyme is located near the end of a deep tunnel formed by the juxtaposition of two domains and incorporates a catalytic triad involving Ser143, His337, and Asp304. A structural basis is given for the observed double displacement kinetic mechanism of homoserine transacetylase. Furthermore, the properties of the tunnel provide a rationale for how homoserine transacetylase catalyzes a transferase reaction vs. hydrolysis, despite extensive similarity in active site architecture to hydrolytic enzymes.

  15. Crystal structure of homoserine O-acetyltransferase from Leptospira interrogans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Mingzhu; Liu Lin; Wang Yanli; Wei Zhiyi; Zhang Ping; Li Yikun; Jiang Xiaohua; Xu Hang; Gong Weimin

    2007-01-01

    Homoserine O-acetyltransferase (HTA, EC 2.3.1.31) initiates methionine biosynthesis pathway by catalyzing the transfer of acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to homoserine. This study reports the crystal structure of HTA from Leptospira interrogans determined at 2.2 A resolution using selenomethionyl single-wavelength anomalous diffraction method. HTA is modular and consists of two structurally distinct domains-a core α/β domain containing the catalytic site and a helical bundle called the lid domain. Overall, the structure fold belongs to α/β hydrolase superfamily with the characteristic 'catalytic triad' residues in the active site. Detailed structure analysis showed that the catalytic histidine and serine are both present in two conformations, which may be involved in the catalytic mechanism for acetyl transfer

  16. Modification and Assembly of a Versatile Lactonase for Bacterial Quorum Quenching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa K. Rhoads

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This work sets out to provide a self-assembled biopolymer capsule activated with a multi-functional enzyme for localized delivery. This enzyme, SsoPox, which is a lactonase and phosphotriesterase, provides a means of interrupting bacterial communication pathways that have been shown to mediate pathogenicity. Here we demonstrate the capability to express, purify and attach SsoPox to the natural biopolymer chitosan, preserving its activity to “neutralize” long-chain autoinducer-1 (AI-1 communication molecules. Attachment is shown via non-specific binding and by engineering tyrosine and glutamine affinity ‘tags’ at the C-terminus for covalent linkage. Subsequent degradation of AI-1, in this case N-(3-oxododecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OdDHL, serves to “quench” bacterial quorum sensing (QS, silencing intraspecies communication. By attaching enzymes to pH-responsive chitosan that, in turn, can be assembled into various forms, we demonstrate device-based flexibility for enzyme delivery. Specifically, we have assembled quorum-quenching capsules consisting of an alginate inner core and an enzyme “decorated” chitosan shell that are shown to preclude bacterial QS crosstalk, minimizing QS mediated behaviors.

  17. Crosstalk Regulates the Capacity for Robust Collective Decision Making in Heterogeneous Microbial Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusufaly, Tahir; Boedicker, James

    Microbial communities frequently communicate via quorum sensing (QS), where cells produce, secrete, and respond to a threshold level of an autoinducer (AI) molecule, thereby modulating density-dependent gene expression. However, the biology of QS remains incompletely understood in heterogeneous communities, where crosstalk between distinct QS systems leads to novel effects. Such knowledge is necessary both for understanding signaling in real microbial communities, and for the rational design of synthetic communities with designer properties. As a step towards this goal, we investigate the effects of crosstalk between Gram-negative bacteria communicating via LuxI/LuxR-type QS systems, with acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) AI molecules. After mapping QS in a heterogeneous community onto an artificial neural network model, we systematically analyze how heterogeneity regulates the community's capability for stable yet flexible decision making. We find that there are preferred distributions of interactions which provide optimal tradeoffs between capacity, or the number of different decisions a population can make, and robustness, or the tolerance of the community to disturbances. We compare our results to inferences made from experimental data, and critically discuss implications for the biological significance of crosstalk.

  18. Production of quorum-sensing signals by bacteria in the coral mucus layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jie; Kuang, Weiqi; Long, Lijuan; Zhang, Si

    2017-12-01

    Quorum sensing is an integral part of bacterial communication and interaction, but has not been well characterized in coral mucus microbiota. In this study, of 61 coral mucus isolates, five alphaproteobacteria and one Vibrio species were found to produce N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL), a quorum-sensing signal in bacteria. Eight gammaproteobacteria isolates were found to produce autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quorum-sensing signals along with two actinobacteria of the genus Rothia. Coral mucus is rich in the antioxidant dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), the concentration of which has been found to increase under heat stress. Neither AHL nor AI-2 activity was induced by DMSP in those coral mucus isolates that did not initially produce quorum-sensing signals. However, the AI-2 activities of one Rothia isolate (SCSIO 13017) from coral mucus and of Vibrio shilonii (DSM 13774 isolated from a bleached coral) were found to increase in response to 5 μM DMSP but decreased in response to 50 μM DMSP for the first time. These findings suggest that the production of quorum-sensing signals in the coral mucus microbiota may play a role in structuring the surface microbial community as they respond to environmental stress.

  19. Evaluation of two autoinducer-2 quantification methods for application in marine environments

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Tian-Nyu; Kaksonen, Anna H.; Hong, Pei-Ying

    2018-01-01

    This study evaluated two methods, namely high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and Vibrio harveyi BB170 bioassay, for autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quantification in marine samples. Using both methods, the study also

  20. A Host-Produced Autoinducer-2 Mimic Activates Bacterial Quorum Sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Anisa S; Valastyan, Julie S; Bassler, Bonnie L

    2016-04-13

    Host-microbial symbioses are vital to health; nonetheless, little is known about the role crosskingdom signaling plays in these relationships. In a process called quorum sensing, bacteria communicate with one another using extracellular signal molecules called autoinducers. One autoinducer, AI-2, is proposed to promote interspecies bacterial communication, including in the mammalian gut. We show that mammalian epithelia produce an AI-2 mimic activity in response to bacteria or tight-junction disruption. This AI-2 mimic is detected by the bacterial AI-2 receptor, LuxP/LsrB, and can activate quorum-sensing-controlled gene expression, including in the enteric pathogen Salmonella typhimurium. AI-2 mimic activity is induced when epithelia are directly or indirectly exposed to bacteria, suggesting that a secreted bacterial component(s) stimulates its production. Mutagenesis revealed genes required for bacteria to both detect and stimulate production of the AI-2 mimic. These findings uncover a potential role for the mammalian AI-2 mimic in fostering crosskingdom signaling and host-bacterial symbioses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Vibrio cholerae quorum-sensing autoinducer CAI-1: analysis of the biosynthetic enzyme CqsA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kelly, R.; Bolitho, M; Higgins, D; Lu, W; Ng, W; Jeffrey, P; Rabinowitz, J; Semmelhack, M; Hughson, F; Bassler, B

    2009-01-01

    Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes the disease cholera, controls virulence factor production and biofilm development in response to two extracellular quorum-sensing molecules, called autoinducers. The strongest autoinducer, called CAI-1 (for cholera autoinducer-1), was previously identified as (S)-3-hydroxytridecan-4-one. Biosynthesis of CAI-1 requires the enzyme CqsA. Here, we determine the CqsA reaction mechanism, identify the CqsA substrates as (S)-2-aminobutyrate and decanoyl coenzyme A, and demonstrate that the product of the reaction is 3-aminotridecan-4-one, dubbed amino-CAI-1. CqsA produces amino-CAI-1 by a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent acyl-CoA transferase reaction. Amino-CAI-1 is converted to CAI-1 in a subsequent step via a CqsA-independent mechanism. Consistent with this, we find cells release {ge}100 times more CAI-1 than amino-CAI-1. Nonetheless, V. cholerae responds to amino-CAI-1 as well as CAI-1, whereas other CAI-1 variants do not elicit a quorum-sensing response. Thus, both CAI-1 and amino-CAI-1 have potential as lead molecules in the development of an anticholera treatment.

  2. Discovery of new lactones in sweet cream butter oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarrazin, Elise; Frerot, Eric; Bagnoud, Alain; Aeberhardt, Kasia; Rubin, Mark

    2011-06-22

    Sweet cream butter oil was analyzed to identify new volatile compounds that may contribute to its flavor, with an emphasis on lactones. The volatile part of butter oil was obtained by using short-path distillation. As some previously unknown lactones were detected in this first extract, it was fractionated further. The fatty acids were removed, and the extract was fractionated by flash chromatography. Three lactonic fractions possessing a creamy, buttery, and fatty character were investigated in depth by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) (EI and CI) and high-resolution GC-time-of-flight MS. Many lactones were identified by their mass fragmentation and by comparison with reference materials synthesized during this work. Six γ-lactones, five δ-lactones, and one ε-lactone were identified for the first time in butter oil, seven of them for the first time in a natural product. The possible contribution of these new lactones to the aroma of butter oil is briefly discussed.

  3. Identification of Pathways Critical to Quorum Sensing and Virulence Induction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ognibene, Ted J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Young, N. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Holtz-Morris, A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Daley, P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2009-02-27

    Quorum sensing is a mode of intercellular communication between bacteria that allows them to collectively regulate behavior such as virulence, sporulation, motility and biofilm formation. It is mediated by bacterially synthesized, diffusible, signaling molecules (autoinducers) that increase in concentration as a bacterial population expands until a critical threshold concentration is reached. However, in most bacterial species that produce autoinducer molecules, the physiologic concentration of these molecules is unknown. Moreover, many bacterial species, including Y. pestis, produce an array of quorum sensing molecules and the physiologic concentration of each individual type of autoinducer molecule is not known. There is a need to accurately and precisely quantitate these molecules, as it may be that different types of autoinducer molecules have different effects on virulence in the bacterium. We focused our efforts on the construction of a platform to identify and quantitate autoinducer molecules using FTICR, 14C isotope labeling and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Specifically, we focused on autoinducer-1 type molecules, acylhomoserine lactone (HSL), derived from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM).

  4. Corymbiferan lactones from Penicillium hordei

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Overy, David Patrick; Blunt, J.W.

    2004-01-01

    Cultivation of a strain of Penicillium hordei on macerated tulip tissue agar resulted in the stimulated production of a series of four novel hydroxymethyl naphthalene carboxylic acid lactones from the fungus. The naphthalene derivatives were isolated using a combination of vacuum liquid chromatog......Cultivation of a strain of Penicillium hordei on macerated tulip tissue agar resulted in the stimulated production of a series of four novel hydroxymethyl naphthalene carboxylic acid lactones from the fungus. The naphthalene derivatives were isolated using a combination of vacuum liquid...... chromatography and preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR techniques in conjunction with high-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry (HRESIMS). These metabolites were given the trivial names corymbiferan lactones A-D (1-4)....

  5. Involvement of bacterial quorum-sensing signals in spoilage of bean sprouts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasch, Maria; Andersen, Jens Bo; Nielsen, Kristian Fog

    2005-01-01

    Bacterial communication signals, acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), were extracted from samples of commercial bean sprouts undergoing soft-rot spoilage. Bean sprouts produced in the laboratory did not undergo soft-rot spoilage and did not contain AHLs or AHL-producing bacteria, although...... the bacterial population reached levels similar to those in the commercial sprouts, 10(8) to 10(9) CFU/g. AHL-producing bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads) were isolated from commercial sprouts, and strains that were both proteolytic and pectinolytic were capable of causing soft-rot spoilage in bean...... sprouts. Thin-layer chromatography and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed the presence of N-3-oxo-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone in spoiled bean sprouts and in extracts from pure cultures of bacteria. During normal spoilage, the pH of the sprouts increased due to proteolytic...

  6. Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing: fidelity in bioremediation technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangwani, Neelam; Kumari, Supriya; Das, Surajit

    Increased contamination of the environment with toxic pollutants has paved the way for efficient strategies which can be implemented for environmental restoration. The major problem with conventional methods used for cleaning of pollutants is inefficiency and high economic costs. Bioremediation is a growing technology having advanced potential of cleaning pollutants. Biofilm formed by various micro-organisms potentially provide a suitable microenvironment for efficient bioremediation processes. High cell density and stress resistance properties of the biofilm environment provide opportunities for efficient metabolism of number of hydrophobic and toxic compounds. Bacterial biofilm formation is often regulated by quorum sensing (QS) which is a population density-based cell-cell communication process via signaling molecules. Numerous signaling molecules such as acyl homoserine lactones, peptides, autoinducer-2, diffusion signaling factors, and α-hydroxyketones have been studied in bacteria. Genetic alteration of QS machinery can be useful to modulate vital characters valuable for environmental applications such as biofilm formation, biosurfactant production, exopolysaccharide synthesis, horizontal gene transfer, catabolic gene expression, motility, and chemotaxis. These qualities are imperative for bacteria during degradation or detoxification of any pollutant. QS signals can be used for the fabrication of engineered biofilms with enhanced degradation kinetics. This review discusses the connection between QS and biofilm formation by bacteria in relation to bioremediation technology.

  7. The synthesis of some unsaturated 4-substituted-g-lactones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SUREN HUSINEC

    2000-02-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis of conjugated and nonconjugated unsaturated 4-substituted lactones of type 1 and 2 are described. The type 1 lactone was prepared by a two step procedure employing Bredereck's reagent. The type 2 lactone was synthesised by combining the Claisen-Ireland rearrangement and selenolactonisation.

  8. N-Acyl-L-homoserine lactone autoinducers control production of an extracellular lipopeptide biosurfactant required for swarming motility of Serratia liquefaciens MG1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindum, Peter Wurtz; Anthoni, U; Christophersen, Carsten

    1998-01-01

    A nonswarming Serratia liquefaciens mutant deficient in serrawettin W2 production was constructed by transposon mutagenesis. Sequence homology indicated that insertion had occurred in gene swrA, which encodes a putative peptide synthetase. Expression of swrA is controlled by quorum sensing....

  9. Determination of the lactone and lactone plus carboxylate forms of 9-aminocamptothecin in human plasma by sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W.J. Loos (Walter); A. Sparreboom (Alex); J. Verweij (Jaap); K. Nooter (Kees); G. Stoter (Gerrit); J.H.M. Schellens (Jan)

    1997-01-01

    textabstractTwo sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic fluorescence methods, with simple sample handling at the site of the patient, are described for the determination of the lactone and lactone plus carboxylate forms of g-aminocamptothecin (9AC). For 9AC lactone, the

  10. Quorum sensing signals are produced by Aeromonas salmonicida and quorum sensing inhibitors can reduce production of a potential virulence factor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasch, Maria; Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Bruhn, Jesper Bartholin

    2007-01-01

    Many pathogens control production of virulence factors by self-produced signals in a process called quorum sensing (QS). We demonstrate that acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) signals, which enable bacteria to express certain phenotypes in relation to cell density, are produced by a wide spectrum...... of Aeromonas salmonicida strains. All 31 typical strains were AHL producers as were 21 of 26 atypical strains, but on a strain population basis, production of virulence factors such as protease, lipase, A-layer or pigment did not correlate with the production and accumulation of AHLs in the growth medium...... of Aeromonas salmonicida. The most efficient compound N-(heptylsulfanylacetyl)-L-homoserine lactone (HepS-AHL), reduced protease production by a factor of 10. Five extracellular proteases were detected on gelatin-containing sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels and 3...

  11. Esterification of jatropha oil via ultrasonic irradiation with auto-induced temperature-rise effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade-Tacca, Cesar Augusto; Chang, Chia-Chi; Chen, Yi-Hung; Manh, Do-Van; Chang, Ching-Yuan; Ji, Dar-Ren; Tseng, Jyi-Yeong; Shie, Je-Lueng

    2014-01-01

    Auto-induced temperature-rise effects of ultrasonic irradiation (UI) on the esterification performance of jatropha oil (JO) were studied. Comparisons with other methods of mechanical mixing (MM) and hand shaking mixing were made. Major system parameters examined include: esterification time (t E ), settling time (t S ) after esterification and temperature. Properties of acid value (AV), iodine value (IV), kinematic viscosity (KV) and density of JO and ester product were measured. The esterification conversion efficiencies (η) were determined and assessed. Sulfuric acid was used to catalyze the esterification using methyl alcohol. For esterification without temperature control, η at t E  = 10 and 30 min for UI of 56.73 and 83.23% are much higher than those for MM of 36.76 and 42.48%, respectively. At t E  = 10 min, the jatropha oil esters produced via UI and MM respectively possess AV of 15.82 and 23.12 mg KOH/g, IV of 111.49 and 113.22 g I 2 /100 g, KV of 22.41 and 22.51 mm 2 /s and density of 913.8 and 913.58 kg/m 3 , showing that UI is much better than MM in enhancing the reduction of AV. The t E exhibits more vigorous effect on AV for UI than MM. The UI offers auto-induced temperature-rise, improving the mixing and esterification extents. - Highlights: • Esterification of jatropha oil is pronounced under ultrasonic irradiation (UI). • UI can auto-induce temperature rise. • The induced temperature rise assists the mixing of UI in enhancing esterification. • UI offers better esterification than mechanical mixing with external heating. • An 83.23% reduction of FFA in jatropha-ester is achievable via UI in 30 min

  12. Biosynthesis of sesquiterpene lactones in pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramirez, Aldana M; Saillard, Nils; Yang, Ting

    2013-01-01

    The daisy-like flowers of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) are used to extract pyrethrins, a botanical insecticide with a long history of safe and effective use. Pyrethrum flowers also contain other potential defense compounds, particularly sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), which represent...... these reported bioactivities and industrial significance, the biosynthetic origin of pyrethrum sesquiterpene lactones remains unknown. In the present study, we show that germacratrien-12-oic acid is most likely the central precursor for all sesquiterpene lactones present in pyrethrum. The formation...... of the lactone ring depends on the regio- (C6 or C8) and stereo-selective (α or β) hydroxylation of germacratrien-12-oic acid. Candidate genes implicated in three committed steps leading from farnesyl diphosphate to STL and other oxygenated derivatives of germacratrien-12-oic acid were retrieved from a pyrethrum...

  13. Detection, Characterization, and Biological Effect of Quorum-Sensing Signaling Molecules in Peanut-Nodulating Bradyrhizobia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walter Giordano

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria of the genus Bradyrhizobium are able to establish a symbiotic relationship with peanut (Arachis hypogaea root cells and to fix atmospheric nitrogen by converting it to nitrogenous compounds. Quorum sensing (QS is a cell-cell communication mechanism employed by a variety of bacterial species to coordinate behavior at a community level through regulation of gene expression. The QS process depends on bacterial production of various signaling molecules, among which the N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs are most commonly used by Gram-negative bacteria. Some previous reports have shown the production of QS signaling molecules by various rhizobia, but little is known regarding mechanisms of communication among peanut-nodulating strains. The aims of this study were to identify and characterize QS signals produced by peanut-nodulating bradyrhizobial strains and to evaluate their effects on processes related to cell interaction. Detection of AHLs in 53 rhizobial strains was performed using the biosensor strains Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4 (pZLR4 and Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 for AHLs with long and short acyl chains, respectively. None of the strains screened were found to produce AHLs with short acyl chains, but 14 strains produced AHLs with long acyl chains. These 14 AHL-producing strains were further studied by quantification of β-galactosidase activity levels (AHL-like inducer activity in NTL4 (pZLR4. Strains displaying moderate to high levels of AHL-like inducer activity were subjected to chemical identification of signaling molecules by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS. For each AHL-producing strain, we found at least four different AHLs, corresponding to N-hexanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C6, N-(3-oxodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3OC10, N-(3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3OC12, and N-(3-oxotetradecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3OC14. Biological roles of 3OC10, 3OC12, and 3OC14 AHLs

  14. Sesquiterpene lactones. XXIII. Isolation of sesquiterpene lactones from Centaurea L. species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Geppert

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sesquiterpene lactones were isolated from 18 species or subspecies of the genus Centaurea L.: salonitenolide (I was found in C. crithmifolia Vis., C. friderici Vis., C, paniculata L., C. calcitrapa L., C. pontica Prodan et E. L' Nyarady, C. eriophora L., C. alba L. subsp. deusta (Ten. Nyman, C. alba L. subsp. caliacrae (Prodan Dostal and C. weldeniana Reichenb.; cnicin (II was found in: C. vallesiaca (DC. Jordan, C. calcitrapa L., C. aspera L. subsp. aspera, C. sphaerocephala L. subsp. lusitanica (Boiss. et Reuter Nyman, C. sulphurea Willd., C. eriophora L. and C. rocheliana (Heuffel Dostal; cynaropicrin (III was detected in C. debeauxii Gren. et Gordon subsp. thuillieri Dostal; acroptillin (V, repin (VI and janerin (VII in C. bella Trautv. Other unidentified sesquiterpene lactones were also found to be present in the examined plants.

  15. BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF ARTEMISIA ANNUA. SESQUITERPENE LACTONES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. A. Konovalov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Artemisia annua is an herblike annual plant which has been used in Chinese folk medicine for more than 2,000 years. In 1970-s sesquiterpene lactones of artemisinin was isolated from the aboveground part of this plant. Today it is the most efficient known natural and synthetic compound for malaria treatment.The purpose of the study was the review of the information from the open sources about the study for sesquiterpene lactones of Artemisia annua referring to its pharmacological activity.Methods. The study was carried out using informational and search engines (PubMed, ScholarGoogle, library databases (eLibrary, Cyberleninca, and the results of our own researches.Results. It was established that apart from the essential oil and phenolic compounds, aboveground part of Artemisia annua, it contains a significant amount of sesquiterpene lactones. Qualitative content and quantitative composition of sesquiterpene lactones varies depending on the ecological and geographic factors, plants growing phase, cultivation technology, drying methods etc. Well-known pharmacological studies of the extracts from Artemisia annua herb with sesquiterpene lactones, as well as individual compounds of this group characterize this type of raw materials as a perspective source for more profound research.Conclusion. Our analysis of the open materials on the sesquiterpene lactones of Artemisia annua, including phytochemical and pharmacological ones, allows characterization of the Artemisia annua herb as a perspective source for new drugs working out.

  16. Homoserine as an Aspartic Acid Precursor for Synthesis of Proteoglycan Glycopeptide Containing Aspartic Acid and Sulfated Glycan Chain

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Weizhun; Ramadan, Sherif; Yang, Bo; Yoshida, Keisuke; Huang, Xuefei

    2016-01-01

    Among many hurdles in synthesizing proteoglycan glycopeptides, one challenge is the incorporation of aspartic acid in the peptide backbone and acid sensitive O-sulfated glycan chains. To overcome this, a new strategy was developed utilizing homoserine as an aspartic acid precursor. The conversion of homoserine to aspartic acid in the glycopeptide was successfully accomplished by late stage oxidation using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) and bis(acetoxy)iodobenzene (BAIB). This is...

  17. The formation mechanism of lactones in Gouda cheese

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alewijn, M.; Smit, B.; Sliwinski, E.L.; Wouters, J.T.M.

    2007-01-01

    Lactones are fat-derived aroma compounds, but the formation mechanism of these compounds during ripening of Gouda cheese is unknown. Both enzymatic and chemical formation pathways were investigated in this study. Lactone formation from milk triglycerides or free fatty acids by lactic acid bacteria

  18. Exploring the selectivity of auto-inducer complex with LuxR using molecular docking, mutational studies and molecular dynamics simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajamanikandan, Sundaraj; Srinivasan, Pappu

    2017-03-01

    Bacteria communicate with one another using extracellular signaling molecules called auto-inducers (AHLs), a process termed as quorum sensing. The quorum sensing process allows bacteria to regulate various physiological activities. In this regard, quorum sensing master regulator LuxR from Vibrio harveyi represents an attractive therapeutic target for the development of novel anti-quorum sensing agents. Eventhough the binding of AHL complex with LuxR is evidenced in earlier reports, but their mode of binding is not clearly determined. Therefore, in the present work, molecular docking, in silico mutational studies, molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations were performed to understand the selectivity of AHL into the binding site of LuxR. The results revealed that Asn133 and Gln137 residues play a crucial role in recognizing AHL more effectively into the binding site of LuxR with good binding free energy. In addition to that, the carbonyl group presents in the lactone ring and amide group of AHL plays a vital role in the formation of hydrogen bond interactions with the protein. Further, structure based virtual screening was performed using ChemBridge database to screen potent lead molecules against LuxR. 4-benzyl-2-pyrrolidinone and N-[2(1-cyclohexen-1-yl) enthyl]-N'(2-ethoxyphenyl) were selected based on dock score, binding affinity and mode of interactions with the receptor. Furthermore, binding free energy, density functional theory and ADME prediction were performed to rank the lead molecules. Thus, the identified lead molecules can be used for the development of anti-quorum sensing drugs.

  19. Pseudomonas aeruginosa with lasI quorum-sensing deficiency during corneal infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhu, H.; Bandara, R.; Conibear, T.C.

    2004-01-01

    To understand the importance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing systems in the development of corneal infection, the genotypic characteristics and pathogenesis of seven ocular isolates with low-protease and acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) activity and quorum-sensing mutants of PAO1 deficient...

  20. Role of quorum sensing by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in microbial keratitis and cystic fibrosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willcox, M.D.P.; Zhu, H.; Conibear, T.C.R.

    2008-01-01

    to control the expression of many virulence factors is the N-acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) regulatory system. Hence, there is considerable interest in targeting this regulatory pathway to develop novel therapeutics for infection control. P. aeruginosa is the principal cause of microbial keratitis...

  1. SESQUITERPENE LACTONES OF LEAVES AND FRUITS OF LAURUS NOBILIS L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. A. Konovalov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L. is common in the Mediterranean region, Europe and America. Widely cultivated in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. As the basic active substances in plants: essential oil components, sesquiterpene lactones, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids and lignans are described.In the plant more than 30 sesquiterpene lactones are found. Structural types of these compounds include eudesmanolides, germacranolides, guaianolides.Sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the leaves and fruits of Laurus nobilis, possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and cytotoxic activity. They inhibit the absorption of alcohol increases the activity of hepatic glutathione-S-transferase. Most of these types of activity of sesquiterpene lactones from laurel due to the presence within their structure of α-methylene--butyrolactone part.Thus, sesquiterpene lactones-containing leaves and fruits Laurus nobilis could have been an important source of raw materials for the creation of new medicines

  2. Synthesis of antirrhinolide, a new lactone from Antirrhinum majus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Franzyk, Henrik; Frederiksen, Signe Maria; Jensen, Søren Rosendal

    1998-01-01

    In addition to the known iridoid glucosides antirrhinoside (1), antirrhide (3), antirrhinoside (1), linarioside (5) and chaenorrhinoside (6), a novel nonglucosidic iridoid lactone was isolated in trace amount from Antirrhinum majus (Scrophulariaceae). This lactone, named antirrhinolide (4a...

  3. Bacterial communications in implant infections: a target for an intelligence war.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costerton, J W; Montanaro, L; Arciola, C R

    2007-09-01

    The status of population density is communicated among bacteria by specific secreted molecules, called pheromones or autoinducers, and the control mechanism is called "quorum-sensing". Quorum-sensing systems regulate the expression of a panel of genes, allowing bacteria to adapt to modified environmental conditions at a high density of population. The two known different quorum systems are described as the LuxR-LuxI system in gram-negative bacteria, which uses an N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) as signal, and the agr system in gram-positive bacteria, which uses a peptide-tiolactone as signal and the RNAIII as effector molecules. Both in gram-negative and in gram-positive bacteria, quorum-sensing systems regulate the expression of adhesion mechanisms (biofilm and adhesins) and virulence factors (toxins and exoenzymes) depending on population cell density. In gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa, analogs of signaling molecules such as furanone analogs, are effective in attenuating bacterial virulence and controlling bacterial infections. In grampositive Staphylococcus aureus, the quorum-sensing RNAIII-inhibiting peptide (RIP), tested in vitro and in animal infection models, has been proved to inhibit virulence and prevent infections. Attenuation of bacterial virulence by quorum-sensing inhibitors, rather than by bactericidal or bacteriostatic drugs, is a highly attractive concept because these antibacterial agents are less likely to induce the development of bacterial resistance.

  4. Allergenic sesquiterpene lactones from cushion bush (Leucophyta brownii Cass.)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paulsen, Evy; Gade Hyldgaard, Mette; Andersen, Klaus E.

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The Australian cushion bush (Leucophyta brownii) of the Compositae family of plants has become a popular pot and container plant. The plant produces the sesquiterpene lactone allergen calocephalin. OBJECTIVES: To assess the sensitizing potential of sesquiterpene lactones from cushion ...

  5. Statin Lactonization by Uridine 5'-Diphospho-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schirris, Tom J J; Ritschel, Tina; Bilos, Albert; Smeitink, Jan A M; Russel, Frans G M

    2015-11-02

    Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs that have proven to be effective in lowering the risk of major cardiovascular events. Although well tolerated, statin-induced myopathies are the most common side effects. Compared to their pharmacologically active acid form, statin lactones are more potent inducers of toxicity. They can be formed by glucuronidation mediated by uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), but a systematic characterization of subtype specificity and kinetics of lactonization is lacking. Here, we demonstrate for six clinically relevant statins that only UGT1A1, 1A3, and 2B7 contribute significantly to their lactonization. UGT1A3 appeared to have the highest lactonization capacity with marked differences in statin conversion rates: pitavastatin ≫ atorvastatin > cerivastatin > lovastatin > rosuvastatin (simvastatin not converted). Using in silico modeling we could identify a probable statin interaction region in the UGT binding pocket. Polymorphisms in these regions of UGT1A1, 1A3, and 2B7 may be a contributing factor in statin-induced myopathies, which could be used in personalization of statin therapy with improved safety.

  6. Selection of the N-acylhomoserine lactone-degrading bacterium Alteromonas stellipolaris PQQ-42 and of its potential for biocontrol in aquaculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta eTorres

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The production of virulence factors by many pathogenic microorganisms depends on the intercellular communication system called quorum sensing (QS, which involves the production and release of signal molecules known as autoinducers. Based on this, new-therapeutic strategies have emerged for the treatment of a variety of infections, such as the enzymatic degradation of signalling molecules, known as quorum quenching (QQ. In this study, we present the screening of QQ activity amongst 450 strains isolated from a bivalve hatchery in Granada (Spain, and the selection of the strain PQQ-42, which degrades a wide range of N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs. The selected strain, identified as Alteromonas stellipolaris, degraded the accumulation of AHLs and reduced the production of protease and chitinase and swimming motility of a Vibrio species in co-cultivation experiments in vitro. In the bio-control experiment, strain PQQ-42 significantly reduced the pathogenicity of V. mediterranei VibC-Oc-097 upon the coral Oculina patagonica showing a lower degree of tissue damage (29.25±14.63 % in its presence, compared to when the coral was infected with V. mediterranei VibC-Oc-097 alone (77.53±13.22 %. Our results suggest that this AHL-degrading bacterium may have biotechnological applications in aquaculture.

  7. Halogenated furanones from the red alga, Delisea pulchra, inhibit carbapenem antibiotic synthesis and exoenzyme virulence factor production in the phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manefield, M.; Welch, M.; Givskov, Michael Christian

    2001-01-01

    The plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora regulates expression of virulence factors and antibiotic production via an N-3- oxohexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL) dependent quorum sensing mechanism. The marine alga Delisea pulchra produces halogenated furanones known to antagonise 3-oxo-C6-HSL...

  8. Inhibition of quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm bacteria by a halogenated furanone compound

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hentzer, Morten; Riedel, K.; Rasmussen, Thomas Bovbjerg

    2002-01-01

    Novel molecular tools have been constructed which allow for in situ detection of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The reporter responds to AHL activation of LasR lay expression of an unstable version of the green-fluorescent protein (Gfp...

  9. Quorum-sensing-directed protein expression in Serratia proteamaculans B5a

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Allan Beck; Riedel, Kathrin; Eberl, Leo

    2003-01-01

    N-Acyl-L-homoserine-lactone-producing Serratia species are frequently encountered in spoiling foods of vegetable and protein origin. The role of quorum sensing in the food spoiling properties of these bacteria is currently being investigated. A set of luxR luxI homologous genes encoding a putative...... quorum sensor was identified in the N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL)-producing Serratia proteamaculans strain B5a. The 3-oxo-C6-HSL synthase SprI showed 79% similarity with Esal from Pantoea stewartii and the putative regulatory protein SprR was 86% similar to the SpnR of Serratia...... marcescens. Proteome analysis suggested that the presence of at least 39 intracellular proteins was affected by the 3-oxo-C6-HSL-based quorum sensing system. The lipB-encoded secretion system was identified as one target gene of the quorum sensing system. LipB was required for the production of extracellular...

  10. Detection of quorum sensing molecules from Vibrio harveyi and use ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper explores the extraction and detection processes of quorum sensing molecules such as N-aceyl homoserine lactone compounds (AHL) from marine Vibrio harveyi. The spent culture of V. harveyi was solvent partitioned for AHL, rotary evaporated and re-suspended in 50% acetonitrile then detected with reporter ...

  11. Diterpene lactones with labdane, halimane and clerodane frameworks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Lúcia; Gomes, Arlindo C; Rodilla, Jesus M L

    2011-04-01

    The labdane, halimane and clerodane type diterpenoids are compounds that have been isolated in plants of several families. These molecules and their derivatives with a lactone group on the side chain or on the decaline system, have a great interest because of their biological properties as insect antifeedant, antiviral, cytotoxic and trypanocidal. The scope of this review is lactones diterpenoids with labdane, halimane and clerodane frameworks.

  12. Chemoselective synthesis of sialic acid 1,7-lactones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allevi, Pietro; Rota, Paola; Scaringi, Raffaella; Colombo, Raffaele; Anastasia, Mario

    2010-08-20

    The chemoselective synthesis of the 1,7-lactones of N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-glycolylneuraminic acid, and 3-deoxy-d-glycero-d-galacto-nononic acid is accomplished in two steps: a simple treatment of the corresponding free sialic acid with benzyloxycarbonyl chloride and a successive hydrogenolysis of the formed 2-benzyloxycarbonyl 1,7-lactone. The instability of the 1,7-lactones to protic solvents has been also evidenced together with the rationalization of the mechanism of their formation under acylation conditions. The results permit to dispose of authentic 1,7-sialolactones to be used as reference standards and of a procedure useful for the preparation of their isotopologues to be used as inner standards in improved analytical procedures for the gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) analysis of 1,7-sialolactones in biological media.

  13. Herbicidal and Fungicidal Activities of Lactones in Kava (Piper methysticum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xuan, T D; Elzaawely, A A; Fukuta, M; Tawata, S

    2006-02-08

    This is the first report showing that kava lactones are plant and plant fungus growth inhibitors. Aqueous extract of kava roots showed high allelopathic potential and strongly suppressed germination and growth of lettuce, radish, barnyardgrass, and monochoria. Nine kava lactones were detected using GC-MS including desmethoxyyagonin, kavain, 7,8-dihydrokavain, hydroxykavain, yagonin, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroxyyagonin, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, and 11-hydroxy-12-methoxydihydrokavain. Quantities of desmethoxyyagonin, kavain, 7,8-dihydrokavain, yagonin, methysticin, and dihydromethysticin detected were 4.3, 6.9, 18.6, 5.7, 1.4, and 5.4 mg/g of dry weight, respectively. These six major lactones in kava roots showed great herbicidal and antifungal activities. Growth of lettuce and barnyardgrass were significantly inhibited at 1-10 ppm, and four plant fungi including Colletotrichum gloeosporides, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, and Trichoderma viride were significantly inhibited at 10-50 ppm. The biological activities of kava lactones were characterized by different double-bond linkage patterns in positions 5,6 and 7,8. The findings of this study suggest that kava lactones may be useful for the development of bioactive herbicides and fungicides.

  14. Relationship between Menthiafolic Acid and Wine Lactone in Wine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giaccio, Joanne; Curtin, Chris D; Sefton, Mark A; Taylor, Dennis K

    2015-09-23

    Menthiafolic acid (6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoic acid, 2a) was quantified by GC-MS in 28 white wines, 4 Shiraz wines, and for the first time in 6 white grape juice samples. Menthiafolic acid was detected in all but one of the wine samples at concentrations ranging from 26 to 342 μg/L and in the juice samples from 16 to 236 μg/L. Various model fermentation experiments showed that some menthiafolic acid in wine could be generated from the grape-derived menthiafolic acid glucose ester (2b) during alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Samples containing high concentrations of menthiafolic acid were also analyzed by enantioselective GC-MS and were shown to contain this compound in predominantly the (S)-configuration. Enantioselective analysis of wine lactone (1) in one of these samples, a four-year-old Chardonnay wine showed, for the first time, the presence of the 3R,3aR,7aS isomer of wine lactone (1b), which is the enantiomer of the form previously reported as the sole isomer present in young wine samples. The weakly odorous 3R,3aR,7aS 1b form comprised 69% of the total wine lactone in the sample. On the basis of the enantioselectivity of the hydrolytic conversion of menthiafolic acid to wine lactone at pH 3.0 determined previously and the relative proportions of (R)- and (S)-menthiafolic acid in the Chardonnay wine, the predicted ratio of wine lactone enantiomers that would be formed from hydrolysis at ambient temperature of the menthiafolic acid present in this wine was close to the ratio measured, which was consistent with menthiafolic acid being the major or sole precursor to wine lactone in this sample.

  15. Two separate regulatory systems participate in control of swarming motility of Serratia liquefaciens MG1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Givskov, M; Ostling, J; Eberl, L

    1998-01-01

    Swarming motility of Serratia liquefaciens MG1 requires the expression of two genetic loci, flhDC and swrI. Here we demonstrate that the products of the flhDC operon (the flagellar master regulator) and the swrI gene (the extracellular signal molecule N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone) are global...

  16. Homoserine as an Aspartic Acid Precursor for Synthesis of Proteoglycan Glycopeptide Containing Aspartic Acid and a Sulfated Glycan Chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Weizhun; Ramadan, Sherif; Yang, Bo; Yoshida, Keisuke; Huang, Xuefei

    2016-12-02

    Among many hurdles in synthesizing proteoglycan glycopeptides, one challenge is the incorporation of aspartic acid in the peptide backbone and acid sensitive O-sulfated glycan chains. To overcome this, a new strategy was developed utilizing homoserine as an aspartic acid precursor. The conversion of homoserine to aspartic acid in the glycopeptide was successfully accomplished by late stage oxidation using (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) and bis(acetoxy)iodobenzene (BAIB). This is the first time that a glycopeptide containing aspartic acid and an O-sulfated glycan was synthesized.

  17. New sesquiterpene lactones from sunflower root exudate as germination stimulants for Orobanche cumana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raupp, Frank M; Spring, Otmar

    2013-11-06

    Orobanche cumana is a serious threat for cultivation of sunflower in Europe and Asia. Germination of the parasite is induced by metabolites released from the host root system. The first germination stimulant from sunflower root exudate was recently identified as dehydrocostus lactone, a sesquiterpene lactone. Bioassay-guided fractionation of root exudates now showed the release of additional sesquiterpene lactones. Besides dehydrocostus lactone, costunolide, tomentosin, and 8-epixanthatin were purified and identified spectroscopically. All four compounds induced germination of O. cumana at nano- to micromolar concentrations. Costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone concentrations above 1 μM reduced the activity, and application of 100 μM inhibited germination irreversibly. Seeds of Phelipanche ramosa could not be induced with costunolide. O. cumana seeds also germinated with GR24, a synthetic strigolactone. No bioactive fraction of sunflower contained compounds of this type. This supports previous findings that sesquiterpene lactones instead of strigolactones trigger the sunflower/O. cumana interaction.

  18. Sesquiterpene lactone stereochemistry influences herbivore resistance and plant fitness in the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahern, Jeffrey R; Whitney, Kenneth D

    2014-03-01

    Stereochemical variation is widely known to influence the bioactivity of compounds in the context of pharmacology and pesticide science, but our understanding of its importance in mediating plant-herbivore interactions is limited, particularly in field settings. Similarly, sesquiterpene lactones are a broadly distributed class of putative defensive compounds, but little is known about their activities in the field. Natural variation in sesquiterpene lactones of the common cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae), was used in conjunction with a series of common garden experiments to examine relationships between stereochemical variation, herbivore damage and plant fitness. The stereochemistry of sesquiterpene lactone ring junctions helped to explain variation in plant herbivore resistance. Plants producing cis-fused sesquiterpene lactones experienced significantly higher damage than plants producing trans-fused sesquiterpene lactones. Experiments manipulating herbivore damage above and below ambient levels found that herbivore damage was negatively correlated with plant fitness. This pattern translated into significant fitness differences between chemotypes under ambient levels of herbivore attack, but not when attack was experimentally reduced via pesticide. To our knowledge, this work represents only the second study to examine sesquiterpene lactones as defensive compounds in the field, the first to document herbivore-mediated natural selection on sesquiterpene lactone variation and the first to investigate the ecological significance of the stereochemistry of the lactone ring junction. The results indicate that subtle differences in stereochemistry may be a major determinant of the protective role of secondary metabolites and thus of plant fitness. As stereochemical variation is widespread in many groups of secondary metabolites, these findings suggest the possibility of dynamic evolutionary histories within the Asteraceae and other plant families showing

  19. The Staphylococcus aureus autoinducer-2 synthase LuxS is regulated by Ser/Thr phosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cluzel, Marie-Eve; Zanella-Cléon, Isabelle; Cozzone, Alain J; Fütterer, Klaus; Duclos, Bertrand; Molle, Virginie

    2010-12-01

    The Staphylococcus aureus autoinducer-2 (AI-2) producer protein LuxS is phosphorylated by the Ser/Thr kinase Stk1 at a unique position, Thr14. The enzymatic activity of the phosphorylated isoform of LuxS was abrogated compared to that of nonphosphorylated LuxS, thus providing the first evidence of an AI-2-producing enzyme regulated by phosphorylation and demonstrating that S. aureus possesses an original and specific system for controlling AI-2 synthesis.

  20. The influence of quorum sensing in compartment II of the MELiSSA loop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condori, Sandra; Mastroleo, Felice; Wattiez, Ruddy; Leys, Natalie

    MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) has been conceived as a 5 compartments microorganisms and higher plants recycling system for long haul space flights. Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H colonizes compartment II. Previous work reported that continuous culture of the bacterium in a photobioreactor could lead to thick biofilm formation, leading to bioreactor arrest. Our aim is to investigate the unknown quorum sensing (QS) system of R. rubrum S1H, specifically under MELiSSA relevant culture conditions meaning light anaerobic (LAN) and using acetate as carbon source. In that purpose an autoinducer synthase gene (Rru_A3396) knockout mutant was constructed by allelic exchange generating strain M68. In addition phenotypic comparison between wild type (WT) and M68 was performed. Results of thin layer chromatography assay where Agrobacterium tumefaciens NT1 have been used as reporter strain showed that WT produces acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) from C4 to C12 acyl carbon chain length; however, in M68 no AHLs were detected confirming that gene Rru_A3396 (named rruI) encodes an autoinducer synthase. Interestingly under a low shear or static environment M68 showed cell aggregation similar as reported in a closely related bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides (cerI mutant). In contrast to WT, M68 did not form biofilm and exhibited a decreased motility and pigment content. M68 vs wild type transcriptomics results showed that 326 genes were statistically significant differentially expressed. Downregulation of genes related to photosynthesis e.g., reaction center subunits, light harvesting complex and photosynthetic assembly proteins was observed. Similar results were obtained for preliminary proteomic analysis. Results obtained showed that in R. rubrum S1H the AHL-based QS system regulates almost 8% of the genome which is linked to biofilm formation among other biological processes described above. Since strain M68 could not be used in compartment II due to its less

  1. Biodegradable poly lactone-family polymer and their applications in medical field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, S.; Bei, J.

    2005-01-01

    Poly lactone-family polymers such as poly lactide, poly glycolide and polycaprolactone are kind aliphatic polyester. Since they can degrade by hydrolysis reaction under all the ph condition and possess biocompatibility, biodegradability and other good properties, especially they included not peptide bond in their molecules, they are non-antigen and non-immunization, as well as have no-toxicity and no-stimulation. So they are interested biomaterials and very useful in medical field. However the properties of all of the homo-poly lactones can not be changed in a large range, the limited properties result in limited applications of these homo-poly lactones. Based on macromolecular design, a series of copolylactones such as poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), poly(glycolide-co-lactide-co-caprolactone) tri- component copolymer (PGLC), tri- and multi-block poly lactide/poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer (TPLE and BPLE), as well as polycaprolactone/poly lactide/poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer (PCEL) et al were synthesized by copolymerization among various lactone monomers or lactone monomers with poly(ethylene glycol). These copolylactones have wide range of degradation life from several months to years and different mechanical properties. After plasma treatment the surface property of the copolylactones were improved further and cell affinity of the copolylactones was improved obviously. The applications of these poly lactone-family polymers in medical field for used as drug carrier in drug delivery system, and as cell scaffold in tissue engineering were discussed

  2. The stress-related, rhizobial small RNA RcsR1 destabilizes the autoinducer synthase encoding mRNA sinI in Sinorhizobium meliloti

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Baumgardt, K.; Šmídová, Klára; Rahn, H.; Lochnit, G.; Robledo, M.; Evguenieva-Hackenberg, E.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 5 (2016), s. 486-499 ISSN 1547-6286 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Agrobacterium * autoinducer synthase * degradosome Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 3.900, year: 2016

  3. Methods for analysis of bacterial autoinducer-2 production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taga, Michiko E

    2005-07-01

    The quorum-sensing signal molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is produced by over 50 diverse bacterial species and controls many different processes, including antibiotic production, biofilm formation, and virulence. AI-2 production often varies according to growth phase, media conditions, and the presence of specific factors. This unit describes a biological assay for AI-2 activity produced by a bacterial strain of interest. The assay employs an AI-2 reporter strain, Vibrio harveyi BB170, which produces light in response to AI-2. In the first stage of the assay, culture fluids of the bacterial strain of interest are collected over a time course of growth and filtered to remove cells. In the next stage, these culture fluids are mixed with BB170, and the light produced in response to AI-2 in the culture fluids is measured using a luminometer. BB170 is exquisitely sensitive to AI-2, and therefore, even low amounts of AI-2 can be detected using this bioassay.

  4. The Staphylococcus aureus Autoinducer-2 Synthase LuxS Is Regulated by Ser/Thr Phosphorylation▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cluzel, Marie-Eve; Zanella-Cléon, Isabelle; Cozzone, Alain J.; Fütterer, Klaus; Duclos, Bertrand; Molle, Virginie

    2010-01-01

    The Staphylococcus aureus autoinducer-2 (AI-2) producer protein LuxS is phosphorylated by the Ser/Thr kinase Stk1 at a unique position, Thr14. The enzymatic activity of the phosphorylated isoform of LuxS was abrogated compared to that of nonphosphorylated LuxS, thus providing the first evidence of an AI-2-producing enzyme regulated by phosphorylation and demonstrating that S. aureus possesses an original and specific system for controlling AI-2 synthesis. PMID:20870760

  5. Chitosan nanoparticles enhances the anti-quorum sensing activity of kaempferol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilk, Sedef; Sağlam, Necdet; Özgen, Mustafa; Korkusuz, Feza

    2017-01-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell density dependent expression of species in bacteria mediated by compounds called autoinducers (AI). Several processes responsible for successful establishment of bacterial infection are mediated by QS. Inhibition of QS is therefore being considered as a new target for antimicrobial chemotherapy. Flavonoid compounds are strong antioxidant and antimicrobial agents but their applications are limited due to their poor dissolution and bioavailability. Our objective was to investigate the effect of kaempferol loaded chitosan nanoparticles on modulating QS mediated by AI in model bioassay test systems. For this purpose, kaempferol loaded nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized in terms of hydrodynamic diameter, hydrogen bonding, amorphous transformation and antioxidant activity. QS inhibition in time dependent manner of nanoparticles was measured in violacein pigment producing using the biosensor strain Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 mediated by AI known as acylated homoserine lactone (AHL). Our results indicated that the average kaempferol loaded chitosan/TPP nanoparticle size and zeta potential were 192.27±13.6nm and +35mV, respectively. The loading and encapsulation efficiency of kaempferol into chitosan/TPP nanoparticles presented higher values between 78 and 93%. Kaempferol loaded chitosan/TPP nanoparticle during the 30 storage days significantly inhibited the production of violacein pigment in Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. The observation that kaempferol encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles can inhibit QS related processes opens up an exciting new strategy for antimicrobial chemotherapy as stable QS-based anti-biofilm agents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Quorum Sensing Inhibition and Structure–Activity Relationships of β-Keto Esters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Forschner-Dancause

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Traditional therapeutics to treat bacterial infections have given rise to multi-drug resistant pathogens, which pose a major threat to human and animal health. In several pathogens, quorum sensing (QS—a cell-cell communication system in bacteria—controls the expression of genes responsible for pathogenesis, thus representing a novel target in the fight against bacterial infections. Based on the structure of the autoinducers responsible for QS activity and other QS inhibitors, we hypothesize that β-keto esters with aryl functionality could possess anti-QS activity. A panel of nineteen β-keto ester analogs was tested for the inhibition of bioluminescence (a QS-controlled phenotype in the marine pathogen Vibrio harveyi. Initial screening demonstrated the need of a phenyl ring at the C-3 position for antagonistic activity. Further additions to the phenyl ring with 4-substituted halo groups or a 3- or 4-substituted methoxy group resulted in the most active compounds with IC50 values ranging from 23 µM to 53 µM. The compounds additionally inhibit green fluorescent protein production by E. coli JB525. Evidence is presented that aryl β-keto esters may act as antagonists of bacterial quorum sensing by competing with N-acyl homoserine lactones for receptor binding. Expansion of the β-keto ester panel will enable us to obtain more insight into the structure–activity relationships needed to allow for the development of novel anti-virulence agents.

  7. Comparison of simultaneous patch testing with parthenolide and sesquiterpene lactone mix

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Orion, E; Paulsen, Evy; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    1998-01-01

    Several studies have pointed out that the sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix is a safe, though inadequate, screen for Compositae allergy. To test the usefulness of the sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide as a supplementary Compositae screening test to the mix, both were included in the standard series...

  8. Cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones and other constituents of Centaurea omphalotricha

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kolli, El Hadj; Leon, Francisco; Benayache, Samir, E-mail: jfleon@ipna.csic.es, E-mail: sbenayache@yahoo.com [Laboratoire de Valorisation des Ressources Naturelles et Synthese de Substances Bioactives, Equipe Associee a l' A.N.D.R.S., Universite Mentouri, Constantine (Algeria); Benayache, Fadila [Laboratoire de Phytochimie et Analyses Physico-Chimiques et Biologiques, Universite Mentouri, Constantine (Algeria); Estevez, Sara; Quintana, Jose; Estevez, Francisco [Departamento de Bioquimica, Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain); Instituto Canario de Investigacion del Cancer, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria (Spain); Brouard, Ignacio; Bermejo, Jaime [Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiologia, CSIC, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

    2012-05-15

    Phytochemical research of the aerial parts of Centaurea omphalotricha led to the isolation of three new sesquiterpene lactones, 4'-acetyl cynaropicrin, 4'-acetyl cebellin F and 15-acetyl dehydromelitensin, together with twelve known compounds, seven sesquiterpene lactones, two isoprenoids and three flavonoids. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by means of extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and MS, and by comparison with reported data in the literature. The effect of sesquiterpene lactones on the viability of the human tumor cell lines HL-60 and U937 was also investigated and 3-acetyl cynaropicrin, and 4'-acetyl cynaropicrin were found to be the most cytotoxic compounds against human leukemia cells with an IC{sub 50} values of 2.0 =- 0.9 and 5.1 +- 0.4 {mu}mol L{sup -1}, respectively. (author)

  9. Sesquiterpene Lactones from Artemisia Genus: Biological Activities and Methods of Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Ivanescu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Sesquiterpene lactones are a large group of natural compounds, found primarily in plants of Asteraceae family, with over 5000 structures reported to date. Within this family, genus Artemisia is very well represented, having approximately 500 species characterized by the presence of eudesmanolides and guaianolides, especially highly oxygenated ones, and rarely of germacranolides. Sesquiterpene lactones exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiulcer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, and insect deterrent. Many of the biological activities are attributed to the α-methylene-γ-lactone group in their molecule which reacts through a Michael-addition with free sulfhydryl or amino groups in proteins and alkylates them. Due to the fact that most sesquiterpene lactones are thermolabile, less volatile compounds, they present no specific chromophores in the molecule and are sensitive to acidic and basic mediums, and their identification and quantification represent a difficult task for the analyst. Another problematic aspect is represented by the complexity of vegetal samples, which may contain compounds that can interfere with the analysis. Therefore, this paper proposes an overview of the methods used for the identification and quantification of sesquiterpene lactones found in Artemisia genus, as well as the optimal conditions for their extraction and separation.

  10. Ketopantoyl lactone reductase is a conjugated polyketone reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hata, H; Shimizu, S; Hattori, S; Yamada, H

    1989-03-01

    Ketopantoyl lactone reductase (EC 1.1.1.168) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to catalyze the reduction of a variety of natural and unnatural conjugated polyketone compounds and quinones, such as isatin, ninhydrin, camphorquinone and beta-naphthoquinone in the presence of NADPH. 5-Bromoisatin is the best substrate for the enzyme (Km = 3.1 mM; Vmax = 650 mumol/min/mg). The enzyme is inhibited by quercetin, and several polyketones. These results suggest that ketopantoyl lactone reductase is a carbonyl reductase which specifically catalyzes the reduction of conjugated polyketones.

  11. X-ray crystal structures of the pheromone-binding domains of two quorum-hindered transcription factors, YenR of Yersinia enterocolitica and CepR2 of Burkholderia cenocepacia: KIM et al.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Youngchang [Midwest Center for Structural Genomics, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Structural Biology Center, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Chhor, Gekleng [Midwest Center for Structural Genomics, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Tsai, Ching-Sung [Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca New York 14853; Fox, Gabriel [Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca New York 14853; Chen, Chia-Sui [Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca New York 14853; Winans, Nathan J. [Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca New York 14853; Jedrzejczak, Robert [Structural Biology Center, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Joachimiak, Andrzej [Midwest Center for Structural Genomics, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Structural Biology Center, Biosciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne Illinois 60439; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois 60637; Winans, Stephen C. [Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca New York 14853

    2017-07-24

    The ability of LuxR-type proteins to regulate transcription is controlled by bacterial pheromones, N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). Most LuxR-family proteins require their cognate AHLs for activity, and some of them require AHLs for folding and stability, and for protease-resistance. However, a few members of this family are able to fold, dimerize, bind DNA, and regulate transcription in the absence of AHLs; moreover, these proteins are antagonized by their cognate AHLs. One such protein is YenR of Yersinia enterocolitica, which is antagonized by N-3-oxohexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OHHL). This pheromone is produced by the OHHL synthase, a product of the adjacent yenI gene. Another example is CepR2 of Burkholderia cenocepacia, which is antagonized by N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OHL), whose synthesis is directed by the cepI gene of the same bacterium. Here, we describe the high-resolution crystal structures of the AHL binding domains of YenR and CepR2. YenR was crystallized in the presence and absence of OHHL. While this ligand does not cause large scale changes in the YenR structure, it does alter the orientation of several highly conserved YenR residues within and near the pheromone-binding pocket, which in turn caused a significant movement of a surface-exposed loop.

  12. Biofouling inhibition in MBR by Rhodococcus sp. BH4 isolated from real MBR plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Hyun-Suk; Kim, Sang-Ryoung; Cheong, Won-Suk; Lee, Chung-Hak; Lee, Jung-Kee

    2013-12-01

    It has been reported that an indigenous quorum quenching bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. BH4, which was isolated from a real plant of membrane bioreactor (MBR) has promising potential to control biofouling in MBR. However, little is known about quorum quenching mechanisms by the strain BH4. In this study, various characteristics of strain BH4 were investigated to elucidate its behavior in more detail in the mixed liquor of MBR. The N-acyl homoserine lactone hydrolase (AHL-lactonase) gene of strain BH4 showed a high degree of identity to qsdA in Rhodococcus erythropolis W2. The LC-ESI-MS analysis of the degradation product by strain BH4 confirmed that it inactivated AHL activity by hydrolyzing the lactone bond of AHL. It degraded a wide range of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), but there was a large difference in the degradation rate of each AHL compared to other reported AHL-lactonase-producing strains belonging to Rhodococcus genus. Its quorum quenching activity was confirmed not only in the Luria-Bertani medium, but also in the synthetic wastewater. Furthermore, the amount of strain BH4 encapsulated in the vessel as well as the material of the vessel substantially affected the quorum quenching activity of strain BH4, which provides useful information, particularly for the biofouling control in a real MBR plant from an engineering point of view.

  13. Natural occurrence, biological activities and synthesis of eight-, nine-, and eleven-membered ring lactones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena M. C. Ferraz

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The natural occurrence, biological activities and synthetic approaches to natural eight-, nine-, and eleven-membered lactones is reviewed. These medium ring lactones are grouped according to ring size, and their syntheses are discussed. The structures of some natural products early identified as medium-ring lactones were revised after total synthesis.

  14. Sesquiterpene lactones from Taraxacum obovatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michalska, Klaudia; Kisiel, Wanda

    2003-02-01

    Two new guaianolide glucosides, deacetylmatricarin 8-O-beta-glucopyranoside and 11beta-hydroxyleukodin 11-O-beta-glucopyranoside, were isolated from roots of Taraxacum obovatum, along with four known sesquiterpene lactones, deacetylmatricarin, sonchuside A, taraxinic acid beta-glucopyranosyl ester and its 11beta,13-dihydro derivative. Their structures were established by spectral methods.

  15. Sesquiterpene lactones in two endemic Anthemis species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staneva, J.; Todorova, M.; Evstatieva, L.; Dimitrov, D.

    2006-01-01

    The aerial parts of Anthemis stribrnyi subsp.tracica and A. macedonica afforded four and nine sesquiterpene lactones, respectively. Their structures were elucidated by spectral methods. Acetylisospiciformin is a new natural compound. (authors)

  16. Ketopantoyl-lactone reductase from Candida parapsilosis: purification and characterization as a conjugated polyketone reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hata, H; Shimizu, S; Hattori, S; Yamada, H

    1989-02-24

    Ketopantoyl-lactone reductase (2-dehydropantoyl-lactone reductase, EC 1.1.1.168) was purified and crystallized from cells of Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708. The enzyme was found to be homogeneous on ultracentrifugation, high-performance gel-permeation liquid chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The relative molecular mass of the native and SDS-treated enzyme is approximately 40,000. The isoelectric point of the enzyme is 6.3. The enzyme was found to catalyze specifically the reduction of a variety of natural and unnatural polyketones and quinones other than ketopantoyl lactone in the presence of NADPH. Isatin and 5-methylisatin are rapidly reduced by the enzyme, the Km and Vmax values for isatin being 14 microM and 306 mumol/min per mg protein, respectively. Ketopantoyl lactone is also a good substrate (Km = 333 microM and Vmax = 481 mumol/min per mg protein). Reverse reaction was not detected with pantoyl lactone and NADP+. The enzyme is inhibited by quercetin, several polyketones and SH-reagents. 3,4-Dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione, cyclohexenediol-1,2,3,4-tetraone and parabanic acid are uncompetitive inhibitors for the enzyme, the Ki values being 1.4, 0.2 and 3140 microM, respectively, with isatin as substrate. Comparison of the enzyme with the conjugated polyketone reductase of Mucor ambiguus (S. Shimizu, H. Hattori, H. Hata and H. Yamada (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 174, 37-44) and ketopantoyl-lactone reductase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggested that ketopantoyl-lactone reductase is a kind of conjugated polyketone reductase.

  17. Towards the industrialization of new biosurfactants: Biotechnological opportunities for the lactone esterase gene from Starmerella bombicola.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelants, Sophie L K W; Ciesielska, Katarzyna; De Maeseneire, Sofie L; Moens, Helena; Everaert, Bernd; Verweire, Stijn; Denon, Quenten; Vanlerberghe, Brecht; Van Bogaert, Inge N A; Van der Meeren, Paul; Devreese, Bart; Soetaert, Wim

    2016-03-01

    Although sophorolipids (SLs) produced by S. bombicola are a real showcase for the industrialization of microbial biosurfactants, some important drawbacks are associated with this efficient biological process, e.g., the simultaneous production of acidic and lactonic SLs. Depending on the application, there is a requirement for the naturally produced mixture to be manipulated to give defined ratios of the components. Recently, the enzyme responsible for the lactonization of SLs was discovered. The discovery of the gene encoding this lactone esterase (sble) enabled the development of promising S. bombicola strains producing either solely lactonic (using a sble overexpression strain described in this paper: oe sble) or solely acidic SLs (using a sble deletion strain, which was recently described, but not characterized yet: Δsble). The new S. bombicola strains were used to investigate the production processes (fermentation and purification) of either lactonic or acidic SLs. The strains maintain the high inherent productivities of the wild-type or even perform slightly better and thus represent a realistic industrial opportunity. 100% acidic SLs with a mixed acetylation pattern were obtained for the Δsble strain, while the inherent capacity to selectively produce lactonic SLs was significantly increased (+42%) for the oe sble strain (99% lactonic SLs). Moreover, the regulatory effect of citrate on lactone SL formation for the wild-type was absent in this new strain, which indicates that it is more robust and better suited for the industrial production of lactonic SLs. Basic parameters were determined for the purified SLs, which confirm that the two new strains produce molecules with distinctive properties of which the application potential can now easily be investigated independently. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Structural and Sensory Characterization of Novel Sesquiterpene Lactones from Iceberg Lettuce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mai, Franziska; Glomb, Marcus A

    2016-01-13

    Lactuca sativa var. capitate (iceberg lettuce) is a delicious vegetable and popular for its mild taste. Nevertheless, iceberg lettuce is a source of bitter substances, such as the sesquiterpene lactones. Chemical investigations on the n-butanol extract led to the isolation of three novel sesquiterpene lactones. All compounds were isolated by multilayer countercurrent chromatography followed by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures were verified by means of spectroscopic methods, including NMR and mass spectrometry techniques. For the first time 11ß,13-dihydrolactucin-8-O-sulfate (jaquinelin-8-O-sulfate) was structurally elucidated and identified in plants. In addition, the sesquiterpene lactones cichorioside B and 8-deacetylmatricarin-8-O-sulfate were identified as novel ingredients of iceberg lettuce. Further flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae were examined for the above three compounds. At least one of the compounds was identified in nine plants. The comparison between the lettuce butt end and the leaves of five types of the Cichorieae tribe showed an accumulation of the compounds in the butt end. Further experiments addressed the impact of sesquiterpene lactones on color formation and bitter taste.

  19. 3-Epiabruslactone A, a New Triterpene Lactone Isolated from Austroplenckia populnea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silva Grácia Divina de Fátima

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available A new lactonic triterpene isolated from the heartwood of Austroplenckia populnea (Celastraceae was characterized as 3alpha-hydroxyolean-12-en-29,22alpha-olide (the gamma-lactone of the 3alpha,22alpha-dihydroxyolean-12-en-29alpha-oic acid, the 3-epimer of the abruslactone A, on the basis of its spectral data, chemical transformations, and single crystal X-ray analysis.

  20. Novel synthesis of [11C]GVG (Vigabatgrin) for pharmacokinetic studies of addiction treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Y.S.; Studenov, A.R.; Zhang, Z.; Gerasimov, M.; Schiffer, W.; Dewey, S.L.; Telang, F.

    2001-01-01

    We report here a novel synthetic route to prepare the precursor and to efficiently label GVG with C-11. 5-Bromo-3-(carbobenzyloxy)amino-1-pentene was synthesized in five steps from homoserine lactone. This was used in a two step radiosynthesis, displacement with [ 11 C]cyanide followed by acid hydrolysis to afford [ 11 C]GVG with high radiochemical yields (> 35%, not optimized) and high specific activity (2-5 Ci/micromol). The [ 11 C]cyanide trapping was achieved at minus5 C with a mixture of Kryptofix and K 2 CO 3 without using conventional aqueous trapping procedure [7]. At this temperature, the excess NH 3 from the target that may interfere with the synthesis would not be trapped [8]. This procedure would be advantageous to any moisture sensitive radiosynthetic steps, as it was the case for our displacement reaction. When conventional aqueous trapping procedure was used, any trace amount of water left, even after prolonged heating, resulted in either no reaction or extremely low yields for the displacement reaction. The entire synthetic procedure should be extendible to the labeling of the pharmacologically active S- form of GVG when using S-homoserine lactone

  1. Inhibition of luminescence and virulence in the black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) pathogen Vibrio harveyi by intercellular signal antagonists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manefield, M; Harris, L; Rice, S A; de Nys, R; Kjelleberg, S

    2000-05-01

    Expression of luminescence in the Penaeus monodon pathogen Vibrio harveyi is regulated by an intercellular quorum sensing mechanism involving the synthesis and detection of two signaling molecules, one of which is N-hydroxy butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone and the other of which is uncharacterized. Indirect evidence has suggested that virulence, associated with a toxic extracellular protein, and luminescence in V. harveyi are coregulated. In this study the effects of an acylated homoserine lactone antagonist produced by the marine alga Delisea pulchra on luminescence and toxin production in a virulent strain of V. harveyi were analyzed. Luminescence and toxin production were both inhibited by the signal antagonist at concentrations that had no impact on growth. Toxin production was found to be prematurely induced in V. harveyi cultures incubated in a 10% conditioned medium. Additionally, a significant reduction in the toxicity of concentrated supernatant extracts from V. harveyi cultures incubated in the presence of the signal antagonist, as measured by in vivo toxicity assays in mice and prawns, was observed. These results suggest that intercellular signaling antagonists have potential utility in the control of V. harveyi prawn infections.

  2. Mechanism of the Quorum-Quenching Lactonase (AiiA) from Bacillus thuringiensis. 1. Product-Bound Structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Dali; Momb, Jessica; Thomas, Pei W.; Moulin, Aaron; Petsko, Gregory A.; Fast, Walter; Ringe, Dagmar (Brandeis); (Texas)

    2008-08-06

    Enzymes capable of hydrolyzing N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) used in some bacterial quorum-sensing pathways are of considerable interest for their ability to block undesirable phenotypes. Most known AHL hydrolases that catalyze ring opening (AHL lactonases) are members of the metallo-{beta}-lactamase enzyme superfamily and rely on a dinuclear zinc site for catalysis and stability. Here we report the three-dimensional structures of three product complexes formed with the AHL lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis. Structures of the lactonase bound with two different concentrations of the ring-opened product of N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone are determined at 0.95 and 1.4 {angstrom} resolution and exhibit different product configurations. A structure of the ring-opened product of the non-natural N-hexanoyl-l-homocysteine thiolactone at 1.3 {angstrom} resolution is also determined. On the basis of these product-bound structures, a substrate-binding model is presented that differs from previous proposals. Additionally, the proximity of the product to active-site residues and observed changes in protein conformation and metal coordination provide insight into the catalytic mechanism of this quorum-quenching metalloenzyme.

  3. Inhibition of Luminescence and Virulence in the Black Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon) Pathogen Vibrio harveyi by Intercellular Signal Antagonists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manefield, Michael; Harris, Lachlan; Rice, Scott A.; de Nys, Rocky; Kjelleberg, Staffan

    2000-01-01

    Expression of luminescence in the Penaeus monodon pathogen Vibrio harveyi is regulated by an intercellular quorum sensing mechanism involving the synthesis and detection of two signaling molecules, one of which is N-hydroxy butanoyl-l-homoserine lactone and the other of which is uncharacterized. Indirect evidence has suggested that virulence, associated with a toxic extracellular protein, and luminescence in V. harveyi are coregulated. In this study the effects of an acylated homoserine lactone antagonist produced by the marine alga Delisea pulchra on luminescence and toxin production in a virulent strain of V. harveyi were analyzed. Luminescence and toxin production were both inhibited by the signal antagonist at concentrations that had no impact on growth. Toxin production was found to be prematurely induced in V. harveyi cultures incubated in a 10% conditioned medium. Additionally, a significant reduction in the toxicity of concentrated supernatant extracts from V. harveyi cultures incubated in the presence of the signal antagonist, as measured by in vivo toxicity assays in mice and prawns, was observed. These results suggest that intercellular signaling antagonists have potential utility in the control of V. harveyi prawn infections. PMID:10788385

  4. Theoretical Study of Molecular Determinants Involved in Signal Binding to the TraR Protein of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Kumar

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available N-acylated homoserine lactone (AHL mediated cell-cell communication in bacteria is dependent on the recognition of the cognate signal by its receptor. This interaction allows the receptor-ligand complex to act as a transcriptional activator, controlling the expression of a range of bacterial phenotypes, including virulence factor expression and biofilm formation. One approach to determine the key features of signal- binding is to model the intermolecular interactions between the receptor and ligand using computational-based modeling software (LigandFit. In this communication, we have modeled the crystal structure of the AHL receptor protein TraR and its AHL signal N-(3- oxooctanoyl-homoserine lactone from Agrobacterium tumefaciens and compared it to the previously reported antagonist behaviour of a number of AHL analogues, in an attempt to determine structural constraints for ligand binding. We conclude that (i a common conformation of the AHL in the hydrophobic and hydrophilic region exists for ligand-binding, (ii a tail chain length threshold of 8 carbons is most favourable for ligand-binding affinity, (iii the positive correlation in the docking studies could be used a virtual screening tool.

  5. Analysis, potency and occurrence of (Z)-6-dodeceno-γ-lactone in white wine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siebert, Tracey E; Barker, Alice; Barter, Sheridan R; de Barros Lopes, Miguel A; Herderich, Markus J; Francis, I Leigh

    2018-08-01

    (Z)-6-Dodeceno-γ-lactone is a potent aroma compound that has been little studied and its prevalence in wines is unknown. An efficient stable isotope dilution assay was developed using a simple, direct immersion solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method suitable for routine use with a low ng/L limit of quantitation. Using this method, 99 out of 104 young white wines analysed were found to contain detectable (Z)-6-dodeceno-γ-lactone. The highest concentrations were found in Riesling and Viognier wines. (Z)-6-Dodeceno-γ-lactone was found to have an aroma detection threshold of 700 ng/L in a neutral white wine. This study established that (Z)-6-dodeceno-γ-lactone is widely present in Australia's most popular white wine varieties, but generally at concentrations below its aroma detection threshold. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Confirmation of the definitive structure of Fleishmann's lactone by NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Figueroa Villar, Jose Daniel

    1993-01-01

    The reaction between 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyrone and ethyl-acetic-acetate produces a compound known since the beginning of the century, named Fleishman lactone in honor to its discover. The structure of this compound has been the aim of several researches due to its similarity with several poly-pyrones which are important in synthesis of important products. This work presents the accurate determination of the structure of the Fleishman lactone. The methodology is presented as well as confirmation tests

  7. Variability of sesquiterpene lactones in Neurolaena lobata of different origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passreiter, C M; Aldana, B E

    1998-06-01

    Leaves of Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br. originating from Guatemala, were analyzed using HPLC for their qualitative and quantitative sesquiterpene lactone contents. Significant differences in the individual amounts of neurolenins and furanoheliangolides were found between four natural populations. When plants were cultivated on proving fields at two different localities in Guatemala, their sesquiterpene lactone patterns matched the natural population, but differed quantitatively. The meaning of these differences for the use of N. lobata in traditional medicine and its cultivation is discussed.

  8. Stereoselective synthesis of highly substituted bicyclic γ-lactones using homoaldol addition of 1-(1-cycloalkenyl)methyl carbamates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Özlügedik, M.; Kristensen, Jesper Langgaard; Reuber, J.

    2004-01-01

    Stereoselective addition of aldehydes 4 to metallated 1-(1-cycloalkenyl) methyl N,N-diisopropylcarbamates 1 gave cyclic homoaldol adducts 6. By applying the (-)-sparteine method, enantiomerically enriched products were obtained. These were oxidatively cyclized to diastereomerically pure ¿-lactones...... 8 via the ¿-lactol ethers 7. After deprotonation of ¿-lactones 8 with lithium hexamethyldisilazide, a further substitution was achieved. By trapping the lactone enolates 11 with ß-naphthylmethyl bromide, single diastereomers of ¿-lactones 12 were produced....

  9. Establishing bacterial communities by 'word of mouth': LuxS and autoinducer 2 in biofilm development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardie, Kim Rachael; Heurlier, Karin

    2008-08-01

    Multicellular bacterial communities (biofilms) abound in nature, and their successful formation and survival is likely to require cell-cell communication--including quorum sensing--to co-ordinate appropriate gene expression. The only mode of quorum sensing that is shared by both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria involves the production of the signalling molecule autoinducer 2 by LuxS. A survey of the current literature reveals that luxS contributes to biofilm development in some bacteria. However, inconsistencies prevent biofilm development being attributed to the production of AI2 in all cases.

  10. Enthalpies of combustion and formation of {alpha}-D-glucoheptono-1,4-lactone and {alpha},{beta}-glucooctanoic-1,4-lactone

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amador, Patricia [Facultad de Ciencias Qui' micas, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, 14 Sur y Av. San Claudio, Col. Manuel, C.P. 72570 Puebla Pue (Mexico)], E-mail: cs000721@siu.buap.mx; Mata, Marian Y.; Flores, Henoc [Facultad de Ciencias Qui' micas, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, 14 Sur y Av. San Claudio, Col. Manuel, C.P. 72570 Puebla Pue (Mexico)

    2008-05-15

    The standard molar energies of combustion, {delta}{sub c}U{sub m}{sup 0}(cr,298.15K), of {alpha}-D-glucoheptono-1,4-lactone (GH) and {alpha},{beta}-glucooctanoic-1,4-lactone (GO) were obtained by micro-combustion calorimetry. The obtained values are -(2924.6 {+-} 2.3) kJ . mol{sup -1} and -(3459.5 {+-} 2.5) kJ . mol{sup -1}, respectively. From combustion energies, the standard molar enthalpies of formation in crystalline phase, {delta}{sub f}H{sub m}{sup 0}(cr,298.15K), for GH and GO were determined as -(1546.2 {+-} 2.5) kJ . mol{sup -1} and -(1690.6 {+-} 2.7) kJ . mol{sup -1}, respectively. Also it was found that when the hydroxyl group number increases in the aldonolactones their standard molar enthalpies of formation increase too.

  11. Systemic allergic dermatitis caused by sesquiterpene lactones

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paulsen, Evy

    2017-01-01

    Patients with Compositae sensitization are routinely warned against the ingestion of vegetables, spices, teas and herbal remedies from this family of plants. The evidence for the occurrence of systemic allergic dermatitis caused by sesquiterpene lactone-containing plants is mostly anecdotal...

  12. Sesquiterpene lactones from neurolaena oaxacana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passreiter; Sandoval-Ramirez; Wright

    1999-08-01

    Twelve sesquiterpene lactones, two new (1 and 2) and 10 known neurolenin-type germacranolides and furanoheliangolides (3-12) were isolated from Neurolaena oaxacana, and their structures were elucidated by NMR and GC-MS analysis. The chemotaxonomic importance of these findings is discussed. As N. lobata is used against dysenteries, neurolenin B (4) and a mixture of the neurolenins C (5) and D (6) were tested against Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia intestinalis.

  13. Macrocyclic lactones: A versatile source for omega radiohalogenated fatty acid analogs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dougan, A.H.; Lyster, D.M.; Robertson, K.A.; Vincent, J.S.

    1984-01-01

    For each omega halogenated fatty acid there exists a potential omega hydroxy fatty acid and the corresponding macrocyclic lactone. The authors have utilized such lactones as starting materials for omega /sup 123/I fatty acid analogs intended for myocardial imaging. Macrocyclic musk lactones are industrially available; 120 analogs are described in the literature. The preparation requires saponification, tosylation, and radio-iodide substitution. Iodo-fatty acids are readily separated from tosylate fatty acids on TLC. While providing a secure source of 16-iodo-hexadecanoic acid and 17-iodo-heptadecanoic acid, the scheme allows ready access to a large number of untried fatty acid analogs. Examples presented are 16-iodo-hexadecanoic acid, 16-iodo-7-hexadecanoic acid, 16-iodo-12-oxa-hexadecanoic acid, 15-iodo-pentadecanoic acid, and 15-iodo-12-keto-pentadecanoic acid. Metabolic studies are in progress in mice and dogs to assess the utility of these analogs for myocardial imaging

  14. Cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones from the aerial parts of Inula aucheriana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Reza Gohari

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Inula aucheriana DC is a member of the family Asteraceae which is known to produce cytotoxic secondary metabolites noted as sesquiterpene lactones. In the present study, sesquiterpene lactones inuchinenolide B, 6-deoxychamissonolide (stevin and 14-acetoxy-1β,5α,7αH-4β-hydroxy-guai-9(10,11(13-dien-12,8α-olide were isolated from I. aucheriana. Inuchinenolide B and 14-acetoxy-1β,5α,7αH-4β-hydroxy-guai-9(10,11(13-dien-12,8α-olide were further evaluated by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay to demonstrate cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of (56.6, 19.0, (39.0, 11.8, and (55.7, 15.3 μg/mL against HepG-2, MCF-7 and A-549 cells, respectively. The cytotoxic activity of the two evaluated sesquiterpene lactones partly explains the cytotoxic activity that was previously observed for the extracts of Inula aucheriana. The isolated compounds could be further investigated in cancer research studies.

  15. Simultaneous Determination of Flavonols and Terpene Lactones in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Liquid Chromatography-Tandem - Mass Spectrometry: 1. ... Results: The method showed high selectivity of the flavonols and terpene ... Lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1.232, 0.240, 0.200, ... flavonoid glycosides and terpene lactones.

  16. Automation of C-terminal sequence analysis of 2D-PAGE separated proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.P. Moerman

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Experimental assignment of the protein termini remains essential to define the functional protein structure. Here, we report on the improvement of a proteomic C-terminal sequence analysis method. The approach aims to discriminate the C-terminal peptide in a CNBr-digest where Met-Xxx peptide bonds are cleaved in internal peptides ending at a homoserine lactone (hsl-derivative. pH-dependent partial opening of the lactone ring results in the formation of doublets for all internal peptides. C-terminal peptides are distinguished as singlet peaks by MALDI-TOF MS and MS/MS is then used for their identification. We present a fully automated protocol established on a robotic liquid-handling station.

  17. Lipase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of lactones to polyesters and its mechanistic aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namekawa, S; Suda, S; Uyama, H; Kobayashi, S

    1999-01-01

    Lipase catalysis induced a ring-opening polymerization of lactones with different ring-sizes. Small-size (four-membered) and medium-size lactones (six- and seven-membered) as well as macrolides (12-, 13-, 16-, and 17-membered) were subjected to lipase-catalyzed polymerization. The polymerization behaviors depended primarily on the lipase origin and the monomer structure. The macrolides showing much lower anionic polymerizability were enzymatically polymerized faster than epsilon-caprolactone. The granular immobilized lipase derived from Candida antartica showed extremely efficient catalysis in the polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone. Single-step terminal functionalization of the polyester was achieved by initiator and terminator methods. The enzymatic polymerizability of lactones was quantitatively evaluated by Michaelis-Menten kinetics.

  18. Triacetic acid lactone production from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) is a potential platform chemical produced from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA by the Gerbera hybrida 2-pyrone synthase (2PS) gene. Studies are ongoing to optimize production, purification, and chemical modification of TAL, which can be used to create the commercial chemicals...

  19. Lactone Enol Cation-Radicals. Gas-Phase Generation, Structure, Energetics, and Reactivity of the Ionized Enol of Butane-4-Lactone

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tureček, F.; Vivekananda, S.; Sadílek, M.; Polášek, Miroslav

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 37, - (2002), s. 829-839 ISSN 1076-5174 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/00/0632 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4040901 Keywords : lactone enol ions * dissociation mechanisms * isotope effects Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.781, year: 2002

  20. Biosynthesis of Sesquiterpene Lactones in Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramirez, A.M.; Saillard, N.; Yang, T.; Franssen, M.C.R.; Bouwmeester, H.J.; Jongsma, M.A.

    2013-01-01

    The daisy-like flowers of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) are used to extract pyrethrins, a botanical insecticide with a long history of safe and effective use. Pyrethrum flowers also contain other potential defense compounds, particularly sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), which represent

  1. Patch testing with the "sesquiterpene lactone mix"

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ducombs, G; Benezra, C; Talaga, P

    1990-01-01

    6278 patients were patch tested with a sesquiterpene lactone mix (SL-mix) in 10 European clinics. 4011 patients were tested only with 0.1% SL-mix, 63 (approximately 1.5%) of whom were positive, with 26 (41%) of these cases being considered clinically relevant. There were no cases of active...

  2. Lactone size dependent reactivity in Candida antarctica lipase B: A molecular dynamics and docking study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veld, M.A.J.; Fransson, L.; Palmans, A.R.A.; Meijer, E.W.; Hult, K.

    2009-01-01

    Size matters: Lactones have extensively been studied as monomers in enzymatic polymerization reactions. Large lactones showed an unexpectedly high reactivity in these reactions. A combination of docking and molecular dynamics studies have been used to explain this high reactivity in terms of

  3. Novel synthesis of [11C]GVG (Vigabatgrin) for pharmacokinetic studies of addiction treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Y.S.; Studenov, A.R.; Zhang, Z.; Gerasimov, M.; Schiffer, W.; Dewey, S.L.; Telang, F.

    2001-06-10

    We report here a novel synthetic route to prepare the precursor and to efficiently label GVG with C-11. 5-Bromo-3-(carbobenzyloxy)amino-1-pentene was synthesized in five steps from homoserine lactone. This was used in a two step radiosynthesis, displacement with [{sup 11}C]cyanide followed by acid hydrolysis to afford [{sup 11}C]GVG with high radiochemical yields (> 35%, not optimized) and high specific activity (2-5 Ci/{micro}mol). The [{sup 11}C]cyanide trapping was achieved at {minus}5 C with a mixture of Kryptofix and K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} without using conventional aqueous trapping procedure [7]. At this temperature, the excess NH{sub 3} from the target that may interfere with the synthesis would not be trapped [8]. This procedure would be advantageous to any moisture sensitive radiosynthetic steps, as it was the case for our displacement reaction. When conventional aqueous trapping procedure was used, any trace amount of water left, even after prolonged heating, resulted in either no reaction or extremely low yields for the displacement reaction. The entire synthetic procedure should be extendible to the labeling of the pharmacologically active S- form of GVG when using S-homoserine lactone.

  4. The absence of the N-acyl-homoserine-lactone autoinducer synthase genes tral and ngrl increases the copy number of the symbiotic plasmid in Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plant-released flavonoids induce the transcription of symbiotic genes in rhizobia and one of the first bacterial responses is the synthesis of so called Nod factors. They are responsible for the initial root hair curling during onset of root nodule development. This signal exchange is believed to be...

  5. Sesquiterpene lactones. XXXVI. Sesquiterpene lactones in several subgenera of the genus Centaurea L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerard Nowak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of both known and new sesquiterpene lactones was determined in six species classified in different subgenera of Centaurea L. Chlorojanerin, cynaropicrin and janerin were isolated from C. phaeopappoides Bordz. and C. thracica (Janka Hayek. C. marschalliana Spreng. was found to contain acroptilin, chlorojanerin, cebellin D and janerin while C. adjarica Alb. had repin, acroptilin, chlorojanerin, centaurepensin, janerin, repidiolide, cebellin D, E, F and L A new, hitherto underscribed cebellin J quaianolide was found in C. bella Trautv. and another germacranolide, 3α, 15-dihydroxycostunolide was found in C. sphaerocephala subsp. lusitanica (Boiss. et Reuter Nyman.

  6. Global Analysis of the Burkholderia thailandensis Quorum Sensing-Controlled Regulon

    OpenAIRE

    Majerczyk, Charlotte; Brittnacher, Mitchell; Jacobs, Michael; Armour, Christopher D.; Radey, Mathew; Schneider, Emily; Phattarasokul, Somsak; Bunt, Richard; Greenberg, E. Peter

    2014-01-01

    Burkholderia thailandensis contains three acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing circuits and has two additional LuxR homologs. To identify B. thailandensis quorum sensing-controlled genes, we carried out transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of quorum sensing mutants and their parent. The analyses were grounded in the fact that we identified genes coding for factors shown previously to be regulated by quorum sensing among a larger set of quorum-controlled genes. We also found that gene...

  7. Paraoxonase (PON1 and PON3 polymorphisms: impact on liver expression and atorvastatin-lactone hydrolysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephan eRiedmaier

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Atorvastatin δ-lactone, a major, pharmacologically inactive metabolite, has been associated with toxicity. In a previous study we showed that polymorphisms of UGT1A3 influence atorvastatin δ-lactone formation. Here we investigated the reverse reaction, atorvastatin δ-lactone hydrolysis, in a human liver bank. Screening of microarray data revealed paraoxonases PON1 and PON3 among 17 candidate esterases. Microsomal δ-lactone hydrolysis was significantly correlated to PON1 and PON3 protein (rs=0.60; rs=0.62, respectively; P<0.0001. PON1 and PON3 were strongly correlated to each other (rs=0.60 but PON1 was shown to be more extensively glycosylated than PON3. In addition a novel splice variant of PON3 was identified. Genotyping of 40 polymorphisms within the PON-locus identified PON1 promoter polymorphisms (-108T>C, -832G>A, -1741G>A and a tightly linked group of PON3 polymorphisms (-4984A>G, -4105G>A, -1091A>G, -746C>T and F21F to be associated with changes in atorvastatin δ-lactone hydrolysis and expression of PON1 but not PON3. However, carriers of the common PON1 polymorphisms L55M or Q192R showed no difference in δ-lactone hydrolysis or PON expression. Haplotype analysis revealed decreased δ-lactone hydrolysis in carriers of the most common haplotype *1 compared to carriers of haplotypes *2, *3, *4 and *7. Analysis of non-genetic factors showed association of hepatocellular and cholangiocellular carcinoma with decreased PON1 and PON3 expression, respectively. Increased C-reactive protein and γ-glutamyl transferase levels were associated with decreased protein expression of both enzymes, and increased bilirubin levels, cholestasis and pre-surgical exposure to omeprazole or pantoprazole were related to decreased PON3 protein. In conclusion, PON-locus polymorphisms affect PON1 expression whereas non-genetic factors have an effect on PON1 and PON3 expression. This may influence response to therapy or adverse events in statin treatment.

  8. A strategic approach to [6,6]-bicyclic lactones

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jepsen, Tue Heesgaard; Glibstrup, Emil; Crestey, Francois Louis Jean

    2017-01-01

    We report an effective synthetic protocol to access [6,6]-bicyclic lactone moieties through a regio- and stereoselective intramolecular Mizoroki–Heck cross-coupling reaction followed by a 6π-electrocyclization. This method enabled the first synthesis of the elusive CD fragment of the Erythrina...

  9. Simultaneous Determination of Flavonols and Terpene Lactones in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lactones in Beagle Dog Plasma by Ultra-Performance ... School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China ... Purpose: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of the major compounds in Ginkgo leaf dosage ... pharmacological effect. .... conversion factor was calculated as in Eq 1.

  10. Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the sesquiterpene lactones cnicin and onopordopicrin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bach, Sandra M; Fortuna, Mario A; Attarian, Rodgoun; de Trimarco, Juliana T; Catalán, César A N; Av-Gay, Yossef; Bach, Horacio

    2011-02-01

    The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of chloroform extracts from the weeds Centaurea tweediei and C. diffusa, and the main sesquiterpene lactones isolated from these species, onopordopicrin and cnicin, respectively, were assayed. Results show that the chloroform extracts from both Centaurea species possess antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Remarkable antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was also measured. Both the extracts and the purified sesquiterpene lactones show high cytotoxicity against human-derived macrophages. Despite this cytotoxicity, C. diffusa chloroform extract and cnicin are attractive candidates for evaluation as antibiotics in topical preparations against skin-associated pathogens.

  11. Sesquiterpene Lactones of Amphoricarpos autariatus ssp. autariatus from Montenegro - Antifungal Leaf - Surface Constituents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milka Jadranin

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The composition of leaf cuticular neutral lipids of Amphoricarpos autariatus ssp. autariatus collected at canyon of river Tara (North Montenegro was investigated by GC/MS (nonpolar fraction, LC-ESI TOF MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy (more polar fraction. The nonpolar fraction (ca. 15% of the whole surface extract contained C 27 - 33 n-alkanes, those with odd-number of carbons predominating. The LC-ESI MS and 1H NMR of the more polar fraction revealed 13 sesquiterpene lactones, constituting ca. 97.5% of the lactone mixture, identified as the known guaianolides, so-called amphoricarpolides, found previously in the aerial parts of the genus. The lactone fraction exhibited considerable in vitro effect against eight fungi, i.e. Aspergillus ochraceus , A. niger, A. versicolor , Penicillium funiculosum, P. ochrochloron, Trichoderma viride, Fusarium verticillioides and Fulvia fulvum.

  12. Lactones with Methylcyclohexane Systems Obtained by Chemical and Microbiological Methods and Their Antimicrobial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małgorzata Grabarczyk

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Eight new lactones (δ-chloro-, δ-bromo- and δ-iodo-γ-lactones, each with a methylcyclohexane ring, were obtained by chemical means from (4-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl acetic acid or (6-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl acetic acid. Whole cells of ten fungal strains (Fusarium species, Syncephalastrum racemosum and Botrytis cinerea were tested on their ability to convert these lactones into other products. Some of the tested fungal strains transformed chloro-, bromo- and iodolactone with a methyl group at C-5 into 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one during hydrolytic dehalogenation. When the same lactones had the methyl group at C-3, no structural modifications of halolactones were observed. In most cases, the optical purity of the product was low or medium, with the highest rate for chlorolactone (45.4% and iodolactone (45.2% and 47.6%. All of the obtained compounds were tested with reference to their smell. Seven halolactones and the hydroxylactone obtained via biotransformation of halolactones with 5-methylcyclohexane ring were examined for their antimicrobial activity. These compounds were capable of inhibiting growth of some bacteria, yeasts and fungi.

  13. Polymerization of 5-alkyl δ-lactones catalyzed by diphenyl phosphate and their sequential organocatalytic polymerization with monosubstituted epoxides

    KAUST Repository

    Zhao, Junpeng

    2015-02-04

    Organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) reactions of three renewable 5-alkyl δ-lactones, namely δ-hexalactone (HL), δ-nonalactone (NL) and δ-decalactone (DL), using diphenyl phosphate (DPP) were investigated. Room temperature, together with a relatively high monomer concentration (≥3 M), was demonstrated to be suitable for achieving a living ROP behavior, a high conversion of the lactone, a controlled molecular weight and a low dispersity of the polyester. HL, containing a 5-methyl substituent, showed a much higher reactivity (polymerization rate) and a slightly higher equilibrium conversion than the compounds with longer alkyl substituents (NL and DL). The effectiveness of DPP-catalyzed ROP of 5-alkyl δ-lactones facilitated the one-pot performance following the t-BuP4-promoted ROP of monosubstituted epoxides. It has been shown in an earlier study that substituted polyethers acted as "slow initiators" for non-substituted lactones. However, efficient initiations were observed in the present study as substituted lactones were polymerized from the substituted polyethers. Therefore, this reinforces the previously developed "catalyst switch" strategy, making it a more versatile tool for the synthesis of well-defined polyether-polyester block copolymers from a large variety of epoxide and lactone monomers. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

  14. Noise and crosstalk in two quorum-sensing inputs of Vibrio fischeri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiss Joel T

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background One of the puzzles in bacterial quorum sensing is understanding how an organism integrates the information gained from multiple input signals. The marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri regulates its bioluminescence through a quorum sensing mechanism that receives input from three pheromone signals, including two acyl homoserine lactone (HSL signals. While the role of the 3-oxo-C6 homoserine lactone (3OC6HSL signal in activating the lux genes has been extensively studied and modeled, the role of the C8 homoserine lactone (C8HSL is less obvious, as it can either activate luminescence or block its activation. It remains unclear how crosstalk between C8HSL and 3OC6HSL affects the information that the bacterium obtains through quorum sensing. Results We have used microfluidic methods to measure the response of individual V.fischeri cells to combinations of C8HSL and 3OC6HSL. By measuring the fluorescence of individual V.fischeri cells containing a chromosomal gfp-reporter for the lux genes, we study how combinations of exogenous HSLs affect both the population average and the cell-to-cell variability of lux activation levels. At the level of a population average, the crosstalk between the C8HSL and 3OC6HSL inputs is well-described by a competitive inhibition model. At the level of individual cells, the heterogeneity in the lux response depends only on the average degree of activation, so that the noise in the output is not reduced by the presence of the second HSL signal. Overall we find that the mutual information between the signal inputs and the lux output is less than one bit. A nonlinear correlation between fluorescence and bioluminescence outputs from lux leads to different noise properties for these reporters. Conclusions The lux genes in V.fischeri do not appear to distinguish between the two HSL inputs, and even with two signal inputs the regulation of lux is extremely noisy. Hence the role of crosstalk from the C8HSL input

  15. New insights into the binding and catalytic mechanisms of Bacillus thuringiensis lactonase: insights into B. thuringiensis AiiA mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc N Charendoff

    Full Text Available The lactonase enzyme (AiiA produced by Bacillus thuringiensis serves to degrade autoinducer-1 (AI-1 signaling molecules in what is an evolved mechanism by which to compete with other bacteria. Bioassays have been previously performed to determine whether the AI-1 aliphatic tail lengths have any effect on AiiA's bioactivity, however, data to date are conflicting. Additionally, specific residue contributions to the catalytic activity of AiiA provide for some interesting questions. For example, it has been proposed that Y194 serves to provide an oxyanion hole to AI-1 which is curious given the fact the substrate spans two Zn(2+ ions. These ions might conceivably provide enough charge to promote both ligand stability and the carbonyl activation necessary to drive a nucleophilic attack. To investigate these questions, multiple molecular dynamics simulations were performed across a family of seven acylated homoserine lactones (AHL along with their associated intermediate and product states. Distance analyses and interaction energy analyses were performed to investigate current bioassay data. Our simulations are consistent with experimental studies showing that AiiA degrades AHLs in a tail length independent manner. However, the presence of the tail is required for activity. Also, the putative oxyanion hole function of Y194 toward the substrate is not observed in any of the reactant or product state simulation trajectories, but does seem to show efficacy in stabilizing the intermediate state. Last, we argue through ionization state analyses, that the proton shuttling necessary for catalytic activity might be mediated by both water and substrate-based intra-molecular proton transfer. Based on this argument, an alternate catalytic mechanism is proposed.

  16. Genetic and biochemical characterization of a novel monoterpene epsilon-lactone hydrolase from Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vlugt-Bergmans, van der C.J.B.; Werf, van der M.J.

    2001-01-01

    A monoterpene ε-lactone hydrolase (MLH) from Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14, catalyzing the ring opening of lactones which are formed during degradation of several monocyclic monoterpenes, including carvone and menthol, was purified to apparent homogeneity. It is a monomeric enzyme of 31 kDa that is

  17. Genetic and biochemical characterization of a novel monoterpene e-lactone hydrolase from Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vlugt-Bergmans, C.J.B. van der; Werf, M.J. van der

    2001-01-01

    A monoterpene ε-lactone hydrolase (MLH) from Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14, catalyzing the ring opening of lactones which are formed during degradation of several monocyclic monoterpenes, including carvone and menthol, was purified to apparent homogeneity. It is a monomeric enzyme of 31 kDa that is

  18. Sesquiterpene lactones. XXXII. Guaianolides in species from the genus Chartolepis Cass.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerard Nowak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Differences in the composition of the "lactone fraction" of 4 species from the genus Chartolepis Cass. were observed. Cynaropierin was isolated from the above-ground parts of Chartolepis intermedia Boiss. and the occurrence there of grossheimin was confirmed. The following compounds were isolated from the above-ground parts of Chartolepis glastifolia (L. Cass.: centaurepensin, repin, cebellin C, acroptillin, cebellin D, cynaropicrin, cebellin F and janerin. Centaurepensin, repin, cebellin C, acroptillin, cynaropicrin, janerin and a new guaianolide, pterocaulin were isolated from the herb Chartolepis biebersteinii Jaub. et Spach. In addition to the lactones found in Chartolepis biebersteinii, Chartolepis pterocaula (Trautv. Czer. also accumulated grossheimin.

  19. Simultaneous Determination of Flavonols and Terpene Lactones in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lactones in Beagle Dog Plasma by Ultra-Performance ... School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, ... Matrix effect derived from QC samples was in the range of 85.09 – 113.14 %. ..... with the suitable weighting factor of 1/x. .... pharmacokinetic studies of G. biloba and its.

  20. Regulatory Network Controlling Extracellular Proteins in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora: FlhDC, the Master Regulator of Flagellar Genes, Activates rsmB Regulatory RNA Production by Affecting gacA and hexA (lrhA) Expression▿

    OpenAIRE

    Cui, Yaya; Chatterjee, Asita; Yang, Hailian; Chatterjee, Arun K.

    2008-01-01

    Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora produces an array of extracellular proteins (i.e., exoproteins), including plant cell wall-degrading enzymes and Harpin, an effector responsible for eliciting hypersensitive reaction. Exoprotein genes are coregulated by the quorum-sensing signal, N-acyl homoserine lactone, plant signals, an assortment of transcriptional factors/regulators (GacS/A, ExpR1, ExpR2, KdgR, RpoS, HexA, and RsmC) and posttranscriptional regulators (RsmA, rsmB RNA). rsmB RNA produc...

  1. preparation of bicyclic lactones using lewis acids catalyzed ene

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    The synthesis of the cis-fused bicyclic lactones relies extensively on the Lewis acid ... having an allylic hydrogen (an"ene") and a compound containing an electron .... observed that the lithium enolate obtained from 3-methyl-2(5H)- furanone ...

  2. Potent Antifouling Resorcylic Acid Lactones from the Gorgonian-Derived Fungus Cochliobolus lunatus

    KAUST Repository

    Shao, Chang Lun; Wu, Hui Xian; Wang, Chang Yun; Liu, Qing Ai; Xu, Ying; Wei, Mei Yan; Qian, Pei Yuan; Gu, Yu Cheng; Zheng, Cai Juan; She, Zhi Gang; Lin, Yong Cheng

    2011-01-01

    Three new 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones, two with a rare natural acetonide group and one with a 5-chloro-substituted lactone, named cochliomycins A-C (1-3), together with four known analogues, zeaenol (4), LL-Z1640-1 (5), LL-Z1640-2 (6), and paecilomycin F (7), were isolated from the culture broth of Cochliobolus lunatus, a fungus obtained from the gorgonian Dichotella gemmacea collected in the South China Sea. Their structures and the relative configurations of 1-3 were elucidated using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including NOESY spectra and chemical conversions. A transetherification reaction was also observed in which cochliomycin B (2) in a solution of CDCl3 slowly rearranged to give cochliomycin A (1) at room temperature. These resorcylic acid lactones were evaluated against the larval settlement of barnacle Balanus amphitrite, and antifouling activity was detected for the first time for this class of metabolites. The antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of these compounds were also examined. © 2011 The American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy.

  3. Potent Antifouling Resorcylic Acid Lactones from the Gorgonian-Derived Fungus Cochliobolus lunatus

    KAUST Repository

    Shao, Chang Lun

    2011-04-25

    Three new 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones, two with a rare natural acetonide group and one with a 5-chloro-substituted lactone, named cochliomycins A-C (1-3), together with four known analogues, zeaenol (4), LL-Z1640-1 (5), LL-Z1640-2 (6), and paecilomycin F (7), were isolated from the culture broth of Cochliobolus lunatus, a fungus obtained from the gorgonian Dichotella gemmacea collected in the South China Sea. Their structures and the relative configurations of 1-3 were elucidated using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including NOESY spectra and chemical conversions. A transetherification reaction was also observed in which cochliomycin B (2) in a solution of CDCl3 slowly rearranged to give cochliomycin A (1) at room temperature. These resorcylic acid lactones were evaluated against the larval settlement of barnacle Balanus amphitrite, and antifouling activity was detected for the first time for this class of metabolites. The antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of these compounds were also examined. © 2011 The American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy.

  4. Natural sesquiterpen lactones as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HOMA HAJIMEHDIPOOR

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and the purpose of the study: The amount of elder people who suffer from Alzheimer disease is continuously increasing every year. Cholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, thus opening a field of research for these treatments. Herbal products, owning a reputation as effective agents in many biological studies are now drawing attention for inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, in other words, Alzheimer disease. In the present study, the ability of three sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi and I. aucheriana to inhibit AChE has been evaluated through Ellman assay.Materials and Methods: Gaillardin and pulchellin C were obtained from I. oculus-christi and britannin from I. aucheriana by chromatographic methods. They were dissolved in methanol in concentration of 3 mg/mL and the AChEI activity of the compounds was determined by Ellman method using Acethylthiocholine iodide as the substrate and 5, 5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid as the reagent, in 96-well plates at 405 nm.Results: AChEI activity of the examined compounds was obtained as 67.0, 25.2 and 10.9% in concentration of 300 µg/L for gaillardin, britannin and pulchellin C, respectively.Conclusion: Among the three sesquiterpene lactones, gaillardin with 67% inhibition of AChE could be considered a good candidate for future Alzheimer studies.

  5. Antiprotozoal Activity of α,β-Unsaturated δ-Lactones: Promising ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    2011-03-24

    , A.A 1226, Medellín, Colombia. Abstract. The parasite resistance .... respectively, and cytotoxicity on U-937 cells with LD50 of 2.1 and 1.0 µg/mL, .... to the lipophilic central chain joining the lactone rings. However, the central ...

  6. Sesquiterpene lactones of Vernonia - influence of glaucolide-A on the growth rate and survival of Lepidopterous larvae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Samuel B; Burnett, William C; Coile, Nancy C; Mabry, Tom J; Betkouski, M F

    1979-01-01

    Sesquiterpene lactone glaucolide-A from Vernonia, incorporated in the rearing diets of five species of Lepidoptera, significantly reduced the rate of growth of larvae of the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania; fall armyworm, S. frugiperda; and yellowstriped armyworm, S. ornithogalli. Quantitative feeding tests demonstrated that decreased feeding levels and reduced growth resulted from ingestion of a sesquiterpene lactone. Ingestion of glaucolide-A increased the number of days to pupation in four of the species. In the southern armyworm, it significantly reduced pupal weight. Glaucolide-A decidedly reduced percentage of survival of southern and fall armyworms. Yellow woollybear, Diacrisia virginica, and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, larvae were essentially uneffected by the ingestion of the sesquiterpene lactone. Sesquiterpene lactones adversely affect growth rate and survival of certain insects that feed upon plants containing them. They apparently function as defensive products, screening out a portion of the potential herbivores.

  7. Structure-cytotoxicity relationships of some helenanolide-type sesquiterpene lactones

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beekman, AC; Woerdenbag, HJ; vanUden, W; Pras, N; Konings, AWT; Wikstrom, HV; Schmidt, TJ

    This study deals with the cytotoxicity of helenanolide-type (10 alpha-methylpseudoguaianolide) sesquiterpene lactones. We determined the influence of substitution patterns on the toxicity of 21 helenanolides to a cloned Ehrlich ascites tumor cell line, EN2. Within a series of helenalin esters, the

  8. Determination of ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone in the leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis by HPLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maurya, Anupam; Srivastava, Santosh Kumar

    2012-01-01

    A simple isocratic HPLC method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of two bioactive triterpenes, ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone in E. tereticornis leaves. Samples were analyzed on RP-18 (4.6 x 250 mm, 5 m u m ) column with methanol and water acidified to pH 3.5 with TFA (88:12) at 210 nm. The method was validated and applied for the simultaneous quantification of the individual triterpenes in E. tereticornis extract. The calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 0.05-0.3 mg mL -1 (r = 0.999 and 0.998, respectively). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.190 and 0.644 μg for ursolic acid, and 0.176 and 0.587 μg for ursolic acid lactone, while the percentage recoveries were 97.32 and 96.23% for ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone, respectively. This is the first report on the HPLC method of ursolic acid lactone with high precision and accuracy. (author)

  9. Determination of ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone in the leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis by HPLC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maurya, Anupam; Srivastava, Santosh Kumar [Analytical Chemistry Division, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow (India)

    2012-03-15

    A simple isocratic HPLC method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of two bioactive triterpenes, ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone in E. tereticornis leaves. Samples were analyzed on RP-18 (4.6 x 250 mm, 5 {sup m}u{sup m}) column with methanol and water acidified to pH 3.5 with TFA (88:12) at 210 nm. The method was validated and applied for the simultaneous quantification of the individual triterpenes in E. tereticornis extract. The calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 0.05-0.3 mg mL{sup -1} (r = 0.999 and 0.998, respectively). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.190 and 0.644 {mu}g for ursolic acid, and 0.176 and 0.587 {mu}g for ursolic acid lactone, while the percentage recoveries were 97.32 and 96.23% for ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone, respectively. This is the first report on the HPLC method of ursolic acid lactone with high precision and accuracy. (author)

  10. Mode of Action of the Sesquiterpene Lactones Psilostachyin and Psilostachyin C on Trypanosoma cruzi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeria P Sülsen

    Full Text Available Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease, which is a major endemic disease in Latin America and is recognized by the WHO as one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases in the world. Psilostachyin and psilostachyin C, two sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Ambrosia spp., have been demonstrated to have trypanocidal activity. Considering both the potential therapeutic targets present in the parasite, and the several mechanisms of action proposed for sesquiterpene lactones, the aim of this work was to characterize the mode of action of psilostachyin and psilostachyin C on Trypanosoma cruzi and to identify the possible targets for these molecules. Psilostachyin and psilostachyin C were isolated from Ambrosia tenuifolia and Ambrosia scabra, respectively. Interaction of sesquiterpene lactones with hemin, the induction of oxidative stress, the inhibition of cruzipain and trypanothione reductase and their ability to inhibit sterol biosynthesis were evaluated. The induction of cell death by apoptosis was also evaluated by analyzing phosphatidylserine exposure detected using annexin-V/propidium iodide, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, assessed with Rhodamine 123 and nuclear DNA fragmentation evaluated by the TUNEL assay. Both STLs were capable of interacting with hemin. Psilostachyin increased about 5 times the generation of reactive oxygen species in Trypanosoma cruzi after a 4h treatment, unlike psilostachyin C which induced an increase in reactive oxygen species levels of only 1.5 times. Only psilostachyin C was able to inhibit the biosynthesis of ergosterol, causing an accumulation of squalene. Both sesquiterpene lactones induced parasite death by apoptosis. Upon evaluating the combination of both compounds, and additive trypanocidal effect was observed. Despite their structural similarity, both sesquiterpene lactones exerted their anti-T. cruzi activity through interaction with different targets. Psilostachyin

  11. Exploring the Molecular Basis for Selective Binding of Homoserine Dehydrogenase from Mycobacterium leprae TN toward Inhibitors: A Virtual Screening Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongling Zhan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Homoserine dehydrogenase (HSD from Mycobacterium leprae TN is an antifungal target for antifungal properties including efficacy against the human pathogen. The 3D structure of HSD has been firmly established by homology modeling methods. Using the template, homoserine dehydrogenase from Thiobacillus denitrificans (PDB Id 3MTJ, a sequence identity of 40% was found and molecular dynamics simulation was used to optimize a reliable structure. The substrate and co-factor-binding regions in HSD were identified. In order to determine the important residues of the substrate (l-aspartate semialdehyde (l-ASA binding, the ASA was docked to the protein; Thr163, Asp198, and Glu192 may be important because they form a hydrogen bond with HSD through AutoDock 4.2 software. neuraminidaseAfter use of a virtual screening technique of HSD, the four top-scoring docking hits all seemed to cation–π ion pair with the key recognition residue Lys107, and Lys207. These ligands therefore seemed to be new chemotypes for HSD. Our results may be helpful for further experimental investigations.

  12. In Vitro Antitumor Activity of Sesquiterpene Lactones from Lychnophora trichocarpha

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.A. Saúde-Guimarães

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The sesquiterpene lactones lychnopholide and eremantholide C were isolated from Lychnophora trichocarpha Spreng. (Asteraceae, which is a plant species native to the Brazilian Savannah or Cerrado and popularly known as arnica. Sesquiterpene lactones are known to present a variety of biological activities including antitumor activity. The present paper reports on the evaluation of the in vitro antitumor activity of lychnopholide and eremantholide C, in the National Cancer Institute, USA (NCI, USA, against a panel of 52 human tumor cell lines of major human tumors derived from nine cancer types. Lychnopholide disclosed significant activity against 30 cell lines of seven cancer types with IC100 (total growth concentration inhibition values between 0.41 µM and 2.82 µM. Eremantholide C showed significant activity against 30 cell lines of eight cancer types with IC100 values between 21.40 µM and 53.70 µM. Lychnopholide showed values of lethal concentration 50% (LC50 for 30 human tumor cell lines between 0.72 and 10.00 µM, whereas eremantholide C presented values of LC50 for 21 human tumor cell lines between 52.50 and 91.20 µM. Lychnopholide showed an interesting profile of antitumor activity. The α-methylene-γ-lactone present in the structure of lychnopholide, besides two α,β- unsaturated carbonyl groups, might be responsible for the better activity and higher cytotoxicity of this compound in relation to eremantholide C.

  13. Synthesis of novel O-acylated-D-ribono-1,5-lactones and structural assignment supported by conventional NOESY-NMR and X-ray analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sa, Marcus M.; Silveira, Gustavo P.; Caro, Miguel S.B. [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica]. E-mail: msa@qmc.ufsc.br; Ellena, Javier [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

    2008-07-01

    A practical method for the structural assignment of 3,4-O-benzylidene-D-ribono-1,5-lactones and analogues using conventional NMR techniques and NOESY measurements in solution is described. 2-O-Acyl-3,4-O-benzylidene-D-ribono-1,5-lactones were prepared in good yields by acylation of Zinner's lactone with acyl chlorides under mildly basic conditions. Structural determination of 2-O-(4-nitrobenzoyl)-3,4-O-benzylidene-D-ribono-1,5-lactone was achieved by single crystal x-ray diffraction, which supports the results based on spectroscopic data. (author)

  14. Triacetic acid lactone production in industrial Saccharomyces yeast strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) is a potential platform chemical that can be produced in yeast. To evaluate the potential for industrial yeast strains to produce TAL, the g2ps1 gene encoding 2-pyrone synthase was transformed into thirteen industrial yeast strains of varied genetic background. TAL produ...

  15. [Preparation of hydrophilic matrix sustained release tablets of total lactones from Andrographis paniculata and study on its in vitro release mechanism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Fang-Fang; Shi, Wei; Zhang, Hui; Guo, Qing-Ming; Wang Zhen-Zhong; Bi, Yu-An; Wang, Zhi-Min; Xiao, Wei

    2015-01-01

    In this study, hydrophilic matrix sustained release tablets of total lactones from Andrographis paniculata were prepared and the in vitro release behavior were also evaluated. The optimal prescription was achieved by studying the main factor of the type and amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) using single factor test and evaluating through cumulative release of three lactones. No burst drug release from the obtained matrix tablets was observed. Drug release sustained to 14 h. The release mechanism of three lactones from A. paniculata was accessed by zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Peppas equation. The release behavior of total lactones from A. paniculata was better agreed with Higuchi model and the drug release from the tablets was controlled by degradation of the matrix. The preparation of hydrophilic matrix sustained release tablets of total lactones from A. paniculata with good performance of drug release was simple.

  16. Evaluation of anticancer properties of a new α-methylene-δ-lactone DL-249 on two cancer cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pomorska Dorota K.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The anticancer activity of a new synthetic α-methylene-δ-lactone DL-249 was reported in leukemia HL-60 and breast cancer MCF-7 cells and compared with the activity of a natural α-methylene-γ-lactone from Tanacetum parthenium, parthenolide.

  17. Two lactones in the androconial scent of the lycaenid butterfly Celastrina argiolus ladonides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ômura, Hisashi; Yakumaru, Kazuhisa; Honda, Keiichi; Itoh, Takao

    2013-04-01

    Male adult butterflies of many species have characteristic odors originating from the disseminating organs known as androconia. Despite the fact that androconia exist in several species, there have been few investigations on adult scents from the lycaenid species. Celastrina argiolus ladonides (Lycaenidae) is a common species in Eurasia. We have reported that male adults of this species emit a faint odor, and the major components causing this odor have been newly found in the Insecta. By using field-caught individuals, we determined the chemical nature and location of this odor in the butterfly. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed that two lactone compounds, lavender lactone and δ-decalactone, are present in the extracts of males but absent in those of the females. On an average, approximately 50 ng of each compound was found per male. Chiral GC analyses performed using enantiomerically pure standards revealed that the natural lavender lactone was a mixture of two enantiomers with an R/ S ratio of 32:68, whereas the natural δ-decalactone contained only the R-enantiomer. When the analyses were conducted using different parts—forewings, hindwings, and body—of three males, the lactones were more abundantly found on the forewings and hindwings than on the body. Microscopic observation of the wings demonstrated that battledore scales known as androconia are scattered on the upper surface of both the wings of C. argiolus ladonides males. These results indicate that the specialized scales on the wings of males serve as scent-disseminating organs.

  18. Antiprotozoal Activity of α,β-Unsaturated δ-Lactones: Promising ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The parasite resistance and side effects of drugs used to treat protozoal diseases have led to the search for new therapies, both natural and synthetic. Studies have shown that various α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones displayed high antiprotozoal activity and thus are promising compounds for new drug discovery and ...

  19. Caracterização morfocultural, biossíntese de autoindutor e formação de biofilme por rizobactérias de hortaliças Morphocultural characterization, autoinducer biosynthesis and biofilm formation in rhizobacteria isolated from vegetable crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Pinton

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar e agrupar rizobactérias, isoladas de hortaliças, quanto à morfologia cultural, riqueza e diversidade e avaliar a biossíntese de autoindutores N-acil lactonas homoserinas (ALH e a capacidade de formação de biofilmes. Sete estirpes também foram avaliadas quanto ao potencial de promoção de crescimento de Brassica oleraceae var. acephala em casa de vegetação. Para verificar a produção de ALH, foram realizados ensaios com Agrobacterium tumefaciens estirpe NT1 como sistema repórter. A formação de biofilme foi avaliada pelo cultivo do isolado em meio líquido. A promoção do crescimento foi avaliada após inoculação das estirpes em plantas de couve-de-folha pela determinação da produção de massa de matérias fresca e seca. A maior diversidade morfocultural foi encontrada entre as estirpes isoladas de couve-de-folha. De um total de 112 estirpes testadas, 13% foram positivas quanto à produção de ALH; de 91 estirpes, 96% foram capazes de formar biofilmes; e de 79 estirpes, 11% foram positivas para ambas as características. Foram observadas diferenças significativas na massa de matéria seca das raízes com inoculação de 10(9 UFC mL-1 da estirpe R142, que incrementou em 55% a massa de matéria seca das raízes de couve, em relação ao controle. Não há relação entre a capacidade de formar biofilme e a detecção de ALH produzidos pelas rizobactérias avaliadas.The objective of this work was to characterize and group rhizobacteria isolated from vegetable crops for culture morphology, richness and diversity, and to evaluate the biosynthesis of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL autoinducers and the capacity to form biofilms. Seven strains were also assessed for their potential to promote plant growth of Brassica oleraceae var. acephala in greenhouse. To test the production of AHL, the indicator strain Agrobacterium tumefaciens NT1 was used. The formation of biofilms was evaluated by

  20. Candida albicans Hom6 is a homoserine dehydrogenase involved in protein synthesis and cell adhesion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-Wen Tsai

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Candida albicans is a common fungal pathogen in humans. In healthy individuals, C. albicans represents a harmless commensal organism, but infections can be life threatening in immunocompromised patients. The complete genome sequence of C. albicans is extremely useful for identifying genes that may be potential drug targets and important for pathogenic virulence. However, there are still many uncharacterized genes in the Candida genome database. In this study, we investigated C. albicans Hom6, the functions of which remain undetermined experimentally. Methods: HOM6-deleted and HOM6-reintegrated mutant strains were constructed. The mutant strains were compared with wild-type in their growth in various media and enzyme activity. Effects of HOM6 deletion on translation were further investigated by cell susceptibility to hygromycin B or cycloheximide, as well as by polysome profiling, and cell adhesion to polystyrene was also determined. Results: C. albicans Hom6 exhibits homoserine dehydrogenase activity and is involved in the biosynthesis of methionine and threonine. HOM6 deletion caused translational arrest in cells grown under amino acid starvation conditions. Additionally, Hom6 protein was found in both cytosolic and cell-wall fractions of cultured cells. Furthermore, HOM6 deletion reduced C. albicans cell adhesion to polystyrene, which is a common plastic used in many medical devices. Conclusion: Given that there is no Hom6 homologue in mammalian cells, our results provided an important foundation for future development of new antifungal drugs. Keywords: Candida albicans, cell adhesion, Hom6, homoserine dehydrogenase, protein synthesis

  1. Photolysis of Heterocyclic Lactones in Cryogenic Inert Matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kus, N.

    2008-01-01

    Heterocyclic lactones receive important uses in organic synthesis and are important biologically active compounds. Their weak toxicity and easy synthesis have made these compounds the subject of great interest and extensive investigation. Since long ago, lactones have been shown to possess an interesting photochemistry. Some representative six- and five-membered conjugated lactones [α-pyrone and some of its derivatives, including coumarin and 3-acetamido coumarin, 2(5H)-furanone] were recently investigated by infrared spectroscopy using the matrix isolation technique and quantum chemical calculations in our laboratories. Two main competitive photochemical reaction pathways could be identified: (i) ring-opening, leading to formation of the isomeric aldehyde-ketene, and (ii) ring-contraction leading to the corresponding Dewar isomers. For α-pyrone and 2(5H)-furanone, the ring-opening process dominates over the ring-contraction reaction, the same occurring for derivatives of these compounds bearing a voluminous substituent at position 3. In 2(5H)-furanone, the ring-opening reaction requires the simultaneous occurrence of a [1,2]-hydrogen atom migration, which was found to occur upon excitation at λ> 235 nm. Under the identical UV-irradiation (λ> 235 nm) of the six-membered analogues, the ring-opening reaction was more efficient in α-pyrone than in coumarin, and factors explaining this observation will be discussed. In turn, the Dewar forms of the studied compounds, resulting from the ring-contraction photoreaction, were found to undergo subsequent photo-elimination of CO 2 , with formation of the corresponding cycloalkenes. In the matrices, CO 2 and the simultaneously formed cycloalkenes were predicted by calculations to exist as associates, in which the CO 2 molecule is preferentially placed over the cycloalkene ring in a stacked-type geometry. For coumarin, a third photoreaction channel was observed, leading to formation of benzofurane and CO. This additional

  2. The Trk Potassium Transporter Is Required for RsmB-Mediated Activation of Virulence in the Phytopathogen Pectobacterium wasabiae

    OpenAIRE

    Valente, Rita S.; Xavier, Karina B.

    2015-01-01

    Pectobacterium wasabiae (previously known as Erwinia carotovora) is an important plant pathogen that regulates the production of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes through an N-acyl homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing system and through the GacS/GacA two-component system (also known as ExpS/ExpA). At high cell density, activation of GacS/GacA induces the expression of RsmB, a noncoding RNA that is essential for the activation of virulence in this bacterium. A genetic screen to identify reg...

  3. Enthalpy of vaporization and vapor pressure of whiskey lactone and menthalactone by correlation gas chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simmons, Daniel; Chickos, James

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The vapor pressure and vaporization enthalpies of cis and trans-whiskey lactone have been evaluated. • Enthalpies of vaporization and vapor pressures of (+)-isomintlactone and (−)-mintlactone were also evaluated. • The sublimation enthalpy and corresponding vapor pressure of (+) -isomintlactone at T = 298.15 K is estimated. - Abstract: Enthalpies of vaporization at T = 298.15 K of cis and trans-whiskey lactone have been evaluated by correlation gas chromatography to be (68.4 ± 1.7) kJ·mol −1 and (67.5 ± 1.7) kJ·mol −1 , respectively. The enthalpies of vaporization of isomintlactone and mintlactone also evaluated by correlation gas chromatography have been found to have vaporization enthalpies of (74.2 ± 1.8) kJ·mol −1 and (73.2 ± 1.8) kJ·mol −1 respectively. The vapor pressures for cis and trans-whiskey lactone at T = 298.15 K have been evaluated as (1.5 ± 0.09) Pa and (2.0 ± 0.1) Pa using vapor pressures of a series of lactones as standards. Vapor pressures for isomintlactone and mintlactone were evaluated as (0.26 ± 0.012) Pa and (0.33 ± 0.02) Pa, respectively. Fusion and sublimation enthalpies for (+)-isomintlactone as well as the vapor pressure of the solid have been estimated.

  4. Degradation of Bacterial Quorum Sensing Signaling Molecules by the Microscopic Yeast Trichosporon loubieri Isolated from Tropical Wetland Waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Siang Wong

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Proteobacteria produce N-acylhomoserine lactones as signaling molecules, which will bind to their cognate receptor and activate quorum sensing-mediated phenotypes in a population-dependent manner. Although quorum sensing signaling molecules can be degraded by bacteria or fungi, there is no reported work on the degradation of such molecules by basidiomycetous yeast. By using a minimal growth medium containing N-3-oxohexanoylhomoserine lactone as the sole source of carbon, a wetland water sample from Malaysia was enriched for microbial strains that can degrade N-acylhomoserine lactones, and consequently, a basidiomycetous yeast strain WW1C was isolated. Morphological phenotype and molecular analyses confirmed that WW1C was a strain of Trichosporon loubieri. We showed that WW1C degraded AHLs with N-acyl side chains ranging from 4 to 10 carbons in length, with or without oxo group substitutions at the C3 position. Re-lactonisation bioassays revealed that WW1C degraded AHLs via a lactonase activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of degradation of N-acyl-homoserine lactones and utilization of N-3-oxohexanoylhomoserine as carbon and nitrogen source for growth by basidiomycetous yeast from tropical wetland water; and the degradation of bacterial quorum sensing molecules by an eukaryotic yeast.

  5. Covalent Modification of Human Serum Albumin by the Natural Sesquiterpene Lactone Parthenolide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Plöger

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The reactivity of parthenolide (PRT, a natural sesquiterpene lactone from Tanacetum parthenium (Asteraceae, with human serum albumin (HSA was studied by UHPLC/+ESI-QqTOF MS analysis after tryptic digestion of albumin samples after incubation with this compound. It was found that the single free cysteine residue, C34, of HSA (0.6 mM reacted readily with PRT when incubated at approximately 13-fold excess of PRT (8 mM. Time-course studies with PRT and its 11β,13-dihydro derivative at equimolar ratios of the reactants revealed that PRT under the chosen conditions reacts preferably with C34 and does so exclusively via its α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety, while the epoxide structure is not involved in the reaction.

  6. Method to produce water-soluble sugars from biomass using solvents containing lactones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumesic, James A.; Luterbacher, Jeremy S.

    2017-08-08

    A process to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates that contains C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6 sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5 sugar monomers, or any combination thereof is presented. The process includes the steps of reacting biomass or a biomass-derived reactant with a solvent system including a lactone and water, and an acid catalyst. The reaction yields a product mixture containing water-soluble C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6-sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5-sugar monomers, or any combination thereof. A solute is added to the product mixture to cause partitioning of the product mixture into an aqueous layer containing the carbohydrates and a substantially immiscible organic layer containing the lactone.

  7. A bioinformatic survey of distribution, conservation, and probable functions of LuxR solo regulators in bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramoni, Sujatha; Florez Salcedo, Diana Vanessa; Suarez-Moreno, Zulma R.

    2015-01-01

    LuxR solo transcriptional regulators contain both an autoinducer binding domain (ABD; N-terminal) and a DNA binding Helix-Turn-Helix domain (HTH; C-terminal), but are not associated with a cognate N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) synthase coding gene in the same genome. Although a few LuxR solos have been characterized, their distributions as well as their role in bacterial signal perception and other processes are poorly understood. In this study we have carried out a systematic survey of distribution of all ABD containing LuxR transcriptional regulators (QS domain LuxRs) available in the InterPro database (IPR005143), and identified those lacking a cognate AHL synthase. These LuxR solos were then analyzed regarding their taxonomical distribution, predicted functions of neighboring genes and the presence of complete AHL-QS systems in the genomes that carry them. Our analyses reveal the presence of one or multiple predicted LuxR solos in many proteobacterial genomes carrying QS domain LuxRs, some of them harboring genes for one or more AHL-QS circuits. The presence of LuxR solos in bacteria occupying diverse environments suggests potential ecological functions for these proteins beyond AHL and interkingdom signaling. Based on gene context and the conservation levels of invariant amino acids of ABD, we have classified LuxR solos into functionally meaningful groups or putative orthologs. Surprisingly, putative LuxR solos were also found in a few non-proteobacterial genomes which are not known to carry AHL-QS systems. Multiple predicted LuxR solos in the same genome appeared to have different levels of conservation of invariant amino acid residues of ABD questioning their binding to AHLs. In summary, this study provides a detailed overview of distribution of LuxR solos and their probable roles in bacteria with genome sequence information. PMID:25759807

  8. A bioinformatic survey of distribution, conservation, and probable functions of LuxR solo regulators in bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramoni, Sujatha; Florez Salcedo, Diana Vanessa; Suarez-Moreno, Zulma R

    2015-01-01

    LuxR solo transcriptional regulators contain both an autoinducer binding domain (ABD; N-terminal) and a DNA binding Helix-Turn-Helix domain (HTH; C-terminal), but are not associated with a cognate N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) synthase coding gene in the same genome. Although a few LuxR solos have been characterized, their distributions as well as their role in bacterial signal perception and other processes are poorly understood. In this study we have carried out a systematic survey of distribution of all ABD containing LuxR transcriptional regulators (QS domain LuxRs) available in the InterPro database (IPR005143), and identified those lacking a cognate AHL synthase. These LuxR solos were then analyzed regarding their taxonomical distribution, predicted functions of neighboring genes and the presence of complete AHL-QS systems in the genomes that carry them. Our analyses reveal the presence of one or multiple predicted LuxR solos in many proteobacterial genomes carrying QS domain LuxRs, some of them harboring genes for one or more AHL-QS circuits. The presence of LuxR solos in bacteria occupying diverse environments suggests potential ecological functions for these proteins beyond AHL and interkingdom signaling. Based on gene context and the conservation levels of invariant amino acids of ABD, we have classified LuxR solos into functionally meaningful groups or putative orthologs. Surprisingly, putative LuxR solos were also found in a few non-proteobacterial genomes which are not known to carry AHL-QS systems. Multiple predicted LuxR solos in the same genome appeared to have different levels of conservation of invariant amino acid residues of ABD questioning their binding to AHLs. In summary, this study provides a detailed overview of distribution of LuxR solos and their probable roles in bacteria with genome sequence information.

  9. A bioinformatic survey of distribution, conservation and probable functions of LuxR solo regulators in bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujatha eSubramoni

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available LuxR solo transcriptional regulators contain both an autoinducer binding domain (ABD; N-terminal and a DNA binding Helix-Turn-Helix domain (HTH; C-terminal, but are not associated with a cognate N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL synthase coding gene in the same genome. Although a few LuxR solos have been characterized, their distributions as well as their role in bacterial signal perception and other processes are poorly understood. In this study we have carried out a systematic survey of distribution of all ABD containing LuxR transcriptional regulators (QS domain LuxRs available in the InterPro database (IPR005143, and identified those lacking a cognate AHL synthase. These LuxR solos were then analyzed regarding their taxonomical distribution, predicted functions of neighboring genes and the presence of complete AHL-QS systems in the genomes that carry them. Our analyses reveal the presence of one or multiple predicted LuxR solos in many proteobacterial genomes carrying QS domain LuxRs, some of them harboring genes for one or more AHL-QS circuits. The presence of LuxR solos in bacteria occupying diverse environments suggests potential ecological functions for these proteins beyond AHL and interkingdom signaling. Based on gene context and the conservation levels of invariant amino acids of ABD, we have classified LuxR solos into functionally meaningful groups or putative orthologs. Surprisingly, putative LuxR solos were also found in a few non-proteobacterial genomes which are not known to carry AHL-QS systems. Multiple predicted LuxR solos in the same genome appeared to have different levels of conservation of invariant amino acid residues of ABD questioning their binding to AHLs. In summary, this study provides a detailed overview of distribution of LuxR solos and their probable roles in bacteria with genome sequence information.

  10. A validated Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method for quantification of total lactones in Inula racemosa and Andrographis paniculata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shivali, Garg; Praful, Lahorkar; Vijay, Gadgil

    2012-01-01

    Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a technique widely used for detection and quantification of various chemical moieties. This paper describes the use of the FT-IR spectroscopy technique for the quantification of total lactones present in Inula racemosa and Andrographis paniculata. To validate the FT-IR spectroscopy method for quantification of total lactones in I. racemosa and A. paniculata. Dried and powdered I. racemosa roots and A. paniculata plant were extracted with ethanol and dried to remove ethanol completely. The ethanol extract was analysed in a KBr pellet by FT-IR spectroscopy. The FT-IR spectroscopy method was validated and compared with a known spectrophotometric method for quantification of lactones in A. paniculata. By FT-IR spectroscopy, the amount of total lactones was found to be 2.12 ± 0.47% (n = 3) in I. racemosa and 8.65 ± 0.51% (n = 3) in A. paniculata. The method showed comparable results with a known spectrophotometric method used for quantification of such lactones: 8.42 ± 0.36% (n = 3) in A. paniculata. Limits of detection and quantification for isoallantolactone were 1 µg and 10 µg respectively; for andrographolide they were 1.5 µg and 15 µg respectively. Recoveries were over 98%, with good intra- and interday repeatability: RSD ≤ 2%. The FT-IR spectroscopy method proved linear, accurate, precise and specific, with low limits of detection and quantification, for estimation of total lactones, and is less tedious than the UV spectrophotometric method for the compounds tested. This validated FT-IR spectroscopy method is readily applicable for the quality control of I. racemosa and A. paniculata. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Study of the contribution of massoia lactone to the aroma of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon musts and wines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pons, Alexandre; Allamy, Lucile; Lavigne, Valérie; Dubourdieu, Denis; Darriet, Philippe

    2017-10-01

    Organic extracts of musts and red wines marked by dried fruit and cooked fruit aromas were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to olfactometry and mass spectrometry. Thanks to this analytical approach we identified a fragrant lactone corresponding to an odorant zone reminiscent of coconut and dried figs as 5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one (C10 massoia lactone). Using chiral GC-GC-MS, we show that only the (R)-C10 massoia lactone is found in musts and wines. Its detection thresholds were 10µg/L and 11µg/L in must and wine model solution, respectively. In Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon musts marked by dried fruit flavors from overripe grapes, its concentration reached 68µg/L. In contrast, in wines marked by these flavors, it never exceeded 20µg/L. We show that (R)-C10 massoia lactone is reduced to (R)-δ-decalactone during alcoholic fermentation. In addition, we underline the contribution of temperature during the growing season on its level in old red wines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Role of gallic and p-coumaric acids in the AHL-dependent expression of flgA gene and in the process of biofilm formation in food-associated Pseudomonas fluorescens KM120.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myszka, Kamila; Schmidt, Marcin T; Białas, Wojciech; Olkowicz, Mariola; Leja, Katarzyna; Czaczyk, Katarzyna

    2016-09-01

    In the process of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm formation, N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated flagella synthesis plays a key role. Inhibition of AHL production may attenuate P. fluorescens biofilm on solid surfaces. This work validated the anti-biofilm properties of p-coumaric and gallic acids via the ability of phenolics to suppress AHL synthesis in P. fluorescens KM120. The dependence between synthesis of AHL molecules, expression of flagella gene (flgA) and the ability of biofilm formation by P. fluorescens KM120 on a stainless steel surface (type 304L) was also investigated. Research was carried out in a purpose-built flow cell device. Limitations on AHL synthesis in P. fluorescens KM120 were observed at concentrations of 120 and 240 µmol L(-1) of phenolic acids in medium. At such levels of gallic and p-coumaric acids the ability of P. fluorescens KM120 to synthesize 3-oxo-C6-homoserine lactone (HSL) was not observed. These concentrations caused decreased expression of flgA gene in P. fluorescens KM120. The changes in expression of AHL-dependent flgA gene significantly decreased the rate of microorganism colonization on the stainless steel surface. Phenolic acids are able to inhibit biofilm formation. The results obtained in the work may help to develop alternative techniques for anti-biofilm treatment in the food industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Nasal chemosensory cells use bitter taste signaling to detect irritants and bacterial signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tizzano, Marco; Gulbransen, Brian D; Vandenbeuch, Aurelie; Clapp, Tod R; Herman, Jake P; Sibhatu, Hiruy M; Churchill, Mair E A; Silver, Wayne L; Kinnamon, Sue C; Finger, Thomas E

    2010-02-16

    The upper respiratory tract is continually assaulted with harmful dusts and xenobiotics carried on the incoming airstream. Detection of such irritants by the trigeminal nerve evokes protective reflexes, including sneezing, apnea, and local neurogenic inflammation of the mucosa. Although free intra-epithelial nerve endings can detect certain lipophilic irritants (e.g., mints, ammonia), the epithelium also houses a population of trigeminally innervated solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) that express T2R bitter taste receptors along with their downstream signaling components. These SCCs have been postulated to enhance the chemoresponsive capabilities of the trigeminal irritant-detection system. Here we show that transduction by the intranasal solitary chemosensory cells is necessary to evoke trigeminally mediated reflex reactions to some irritants including acyl-homoserine lactone bacterial quorum-sensing molecules, which activate the downstream signaling effectors associated with bitter taste transduction. Isolated nasal chemosensory cells respond to the classic bitter ligand denatonium as well as to the bacterial signals by increasing intracellular Ca(2+). Furthermore, these same substances evoke changes in respiration indicative of trigeminal activation. Genetic ablation of either G alpha-gustducin or TrpM5, essential elements of the T2R transduction cascade, eliminates the trigeminal response. Because acyl-homoserine lactones serve as quorum-sensing molecules for gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, detection of these substances by airway chemoreceptors offers a means by which the airway epithelium may trigger an epithelial inflammatory response before the bacteria reach population densities capable of forming destructive biofilms.

  14. Sesquiterpene Lactones from Gynoxys verrucosa and their Anti-MRSA Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ordóñez, Paola E.; Quave, Cassandra L.; Reynolds, William F.; Varughese, Kottayil I.; Berry, Brian; Breen, Philip J.; Malagón, Omar; Smeltzer, Mark S.; Compadre, Cesar M.

    2011-01-01

    Ethnopharmacological relevance Because of its virulence and antibiotic resistance, Staphylococcus aureus is a more formidable pathogen now than at any time since the pre-antibiotic era. In an effort to identify and develop novel antimicrobial agents with activity against this pathogen, we have examined Gynoxys verrucosa Wedd (Asteraceae), an herb used in traditional medicine in southern Ecuador for the treatment and healing of wounds. Materials and Methods The sesquiterpene lactones leucodine (1) and dehydroleucodine (2) were extracted and purified from the aerial parts of G. verrucosa, and their structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray analysis. The in vitro anti-microbial activity of G. verrucosa extracts and its purified constituents was determined against six clinical isolates including S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains with different drug-resistance profiles, using the microtiter broth method. Results Compound 1 has very low activity, while compound 2 has moderate activity with MIC50s between 49 and195 μg/mL. The extract of G. verrucosa has weak activity with MIC50s between 908 and 3290 μg/mL. Conclusions We are reporting the full assignment of the 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR of both compounds, and the crystal structure of compound 2, for the first time. Moreover, the fact that compound 2 has antimicrobial activity and compound 1 does not, demonstrates that the exocyclic conjugated methylene in the lactone ring is essential for the antimicrobial activity of these sesquiterpene lactones. However, the weak activity observed for the plants extracts, does not explain the use of G. verrucosa in traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds and skin infections. PMID:21782013

  15. BODIPY-based fluorescent liposomes with sesquiterpene lactone trilobolide

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Škorpilová, Ludmila; Rimpelová, S.; Jurášek, M.; Buděšínský, Miloš; Lokajová, Jana; Effenberg, R.; Slepička, P.; Ruml, T.; Kmoníčková, Eva; Drašar, P. B.; Wimmer, Zdeněk

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 13, JUL 4 (2017), s. 1316-1324 ISSN 1860-5397 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD15012; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1304 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 ; RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378041 Keywords : BODIPY conjugates * Cancer targeting * Drug delivery * Liposomes * Natural compounds * Sesquiterpene lactone trilobolide Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry ; FR - Pharmacology ; Medidal Chemistry (UEM-P) OBOR OECD: Organic chemistry ; Pharmacology and pharmacy (UEM-P) Impact factor: 2.337, year: 2016

  16. Quorum sensing in gram-negative bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, H.; Song, Z.J.; Høiby, N.

    2004-01-01

    Bacteria can communicate with each other by means of signal molecules to coordinate the behavior of the entire community, and the mechanism is referred to as quorum sensing (QS). Signal systems enable bacteria to sense the size of their densities by monitoring the concentration of the signal...... molecules. Among Gram-negative bacteria N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL)-dependent quorum sensing systems are particularly widespread. These systems are used to coordinate expression of phenotypes that are fundamental to the interaction of bacteria with each other and with their environment...

  17. Quorum sensing Inhibitors as anti-pathogenic drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Thomas Bovbjerg; Givskov, Michael Christian

    2006-01-01

    as well as elevated tolerance to the activity of the innate immune system. Gram-negative bacteria commonly use N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL) as QS signal molecules. The use of signal molecule based drugs to attenuate bacterial pathogenecity rather than bacterial growth is attractive for several reasons......, particularly considering the emergence of increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Compounds capable of this type of interference have been termed anti-pathogenic drugs. A large variety of synthetic AHL analogues and natural products libraries have been screened and a number of QS inhibitors (QSI) have been...

  18. Heterogeneity of biofilms formed by nonmucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lee, Baoleri; Haagensen, Janus Anders Juul; Ciofu, O.

    2005-01-01

    lactone quorum-sensing molecules). Compared with wild-type strain PAO 1, most P. aeruginosa isolates demonstrated different degrees of reduction of adherence on polystyrene surfaces. The in vitro biofilm formation of isolates was investigated in a hydrodynamic flow system. Confocal laser scanning...... to phenotypic changes and in vitro biofilm formation. The physiological alterations were associated with a loss of motility (35% were nonmotile) and with decreased production of virulence factors (pyocyanin, proteases) and quorum-sensing molecules (45% of the isolates were unable to produce 3-O-C(12)-homoserine...

  19. Aromaticine, a sesquiterpene lactone from Amblyopappus pusillus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matías López-Rodríguez

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Aromaticine (systematic name: 4a,8-dimethyl-3-methylene-3,3a,4,4a,7a,8,9,9a-octahydroazuleno[6,5-b]furan-2,5-dione, C15H18O3, is a natural lactone isolated from Amblyopappus pusillus. The molecular structure and conformation agree with the results of Romo, Joseph-Nathan & Díaz [(1964. Tetrahedron, 20, 79–85]. The fused-ring system contains a seven-membered ring in a twist-boat conformation and two five-membered rings trans fused in envelope conformations.

  20. Spectrophotometric determination of total lactones in Andrographis paniculata Nees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Napaporn Jantakun

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available A spectrophotometric method for determination of total lactones in Andrographis paniculata was established by using dinitrobenzoic acid and potassium hydroxide solutions as colour forming agents. The absorbance of the solution was determined at 536 nm. The linearity range was 12-72 × 10-6 g.ml-1. The detection limit was 1.2 μg, the quantitation limit was 4.23 μg. The intraday variation had an average of slope 6082.97 g.ml-1, % RSD 0.10; an average intercept 0.2786, %RSD 3.66 (n=3. The interday variation had an average of 6146 g.ml-1 with the %RSD of 6.30 and an average intercept 0.2628, %RSD 4.95 (n=4. The coefficients of determination were 0.998-0.999. The total lactones content, calculated as andrographolide, determined by this method was 8.61±0.52% (n=4 and by the official method, Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia, was 8.12±0.34% (n=2. The results of the two methods do not differ significantly at P=0.05 (P(|t|>0.903 = 0.53

  1. EFSA ; Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 98 (FGE.98): Consideration of three ring-unsaturated delta-lactones)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, John Christian; Nørby, Karin Kristiane; Beltoft, Vibe Meister

    evaluation is necessary, as laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000. The present consideration concerns a group of three unsaturated delta-lactones [FL-no: 10.031, 10.037 and 10.044] previously evaluated by the JECFA at their 49th meeting in 1997. The JECFA considered that further information...... on the metabolism of these three substances was required and that they should be evaluated together with other substances containing alpha,beta-unsaturation and that, therefore, their evaluation should be deferred. However, the EFSA Panel has considered that these three JECFA evaluated aliphatic lactones can...... be hydrolysed and metabolised to innocuous products in line with the aliphatic lactones evaluated by EFSA in FGE.10Rev2. The substances were evaluated through a stepwise approach that integrates information on structure-activity relationships, intake from current uses, toxicological threshold of concern...

  2. Two new diterpenoid lactones isolated from Andrographis paniculata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Gui-Yang; Wen, Ting; Liu, Fei-Fei; Tian, Hai-Yan; Chun-Lin, Fan; Huang, Xiao-Jun; Ye, Wen-Cai; Wang, Ying

    2017-06-01

    In the present study, two new diterpenoid lactones, 3-deoxy-andrographoside (1) and 14-deoxy-15-methoxy-andrographolide (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata. Their structures were elucidated by combination of NMR, MS, and chemical methods. The configurations of 1 and 2 were established based on the analysis of ROESY data and single crystal X-ray diffraction experiment. Copyright © 2017 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Synthesis and study of rare earth complexes with ortho-hydroxyphenyliminodiacetic acid containing lactone ring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martynenko, L.I.; Mitrofanova, N.D.; Muratova, N.M.; Kurbatova, S.V.

    1978-01-01

    Solid complex compounds of o-oxyphenyliminodiacetic acid with rare earth elements of the composition of LnA 2 Clx6H 2 O and LnA 3 x5H 2 O (where Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Eu, Dy, Er, and Y) not described earlier, have been synthesized. The thermographic analysis of the compounds has been performed. It is shown by infrared spectroscopy that a lactone ring is retained in the dicomplex structure. The presence of the absorption bands of non-ionized COOH-groups in the infrared spectra of tricomplexonates of heavy r.e.e. points to opening of the lactone ring in the ligand part

  4. Arylation of beta, gamma-unsaturated lactones by a Heck-Matsuda reaction: an unexpected route to aryldiazene butenolides and pyridazinones

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taylor, Jason G.; Correia, Carlos Roque D., E-mail: roque@iqm.unicamp.b [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

    2010-07-01

    The palladium catalysed coupling of aryldiazonium salts with {beta}-{gamma}-unsaturated lactones under basic conditions has been investigated. Both (3H)-furanone and {alpha}-angelicalactone were evaluated as substrates in the Heck Matsuda reaction but both failed to afford the desired arylated butenolides. Under basic conditions, {beta}-{gamma}-unsaturated lactones generate highly nucleophilic enolates that preferentially undergo azo coupling reactions with arenediazonium salts to afford aryldiazene butenolides. The electronic and steric effect of the substituents on the aryldiazonium salt in the azo coupling reaction is described. Aryldiazene-lactone derivatives were obtained in good yields from a highly facile and straightforward procedure. An aminoisomaleimide was formed from (3H)-furanone and cyclized to the corresponding pyridazinones in modest yield. (author)

  5. Inhibition of Quorum Sensing-Controlled Virulence Factor Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 by Ayurveda Spice Clove (Syzygium Aromaticum Bud Extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok-Gan Chan

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing controls the virulence determinants in most proteobacteria. In this work, the hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of an Ayurveda spice, namely clove (Syzygium aromaticum, shown anti-quorum sensing activity. Hexane and methanol extracts of clove inhibited the response of C. violaceum CV026 to exogenously supplied N‑hexanoylhomoserine lactone, in turn preventing violacein production. Chloroform and methanol extracts of clove significantly reduced bioluminescence production by E. coli [pSB1075] grown in the presence of N-(3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. We demonstrated that clove extract inhibited quorum sensing-regulated phenotypes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01, including expression of lecA::lux (by hexane extract, swarming (maximum inhibition by methanol extract, pyocyanin (maximum inhibition by hexane extract. This study shows that the presence of natural compounds that exhibit anti-quorum sensing activity in the clove extracts may be useful as the lead of anti-infective drugs.

  6. Free radical-scavenging delta-lactones from Boletus calopus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jin-Woo; Yoo, Ick-Dong; Kim, Won-Gon

    2006-12-01

    The methanol extracts from the fruiting body of the mushroom Boletus calopus showed free radical-scavenging activity. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the methanol extracts led to a new hydroxylated calopin named calopin B, along with the known delta-lactones calopin and cyclocalopin A. The structure of the new calopin analogue was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. All compounds showed potent free radical-scavenging activity against superoxide, DPPH, and ABTS radicals with IC (50) values of 1.2 - 5.4 microg/mL.

  7. Isolation and characterization of 9-lipoxygenase and epoxide hydrolase 2 genes: Insight into lactone biosynthesis in mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deshpande, Ashish B; Chidley, Hemangi G; Oak, Pranjali S; Pujari, Keshav H; Giri, Ashok P; Gupta, Vidya S

    2017-06-01

    Uniqueness and diversity of mango flavour across various cultivars are well known. Among various flavour metabolites lactones form an important class of aroma volatiles in certain mango varieties due to their ripening specific appearance and lower odour detection threshold. In spite of their biological and biochemical importance, lactone biosynthetic pathway in plants remains elusive. Present study encompasses quantitative real-time analysis of 9-lipoxygenase (Mi9LOX), epoxide hydrolase 2 (MiEH2), peroxygenase, hydroperoxide lyase and acyl-CoA-oxidase genes during various developmental and ripening stages in fruit of Alphonso, Pairi and Kent cultivars with high, low and no lactone content and explains their variable lactone content. Study also covers isolation, recombinant protein characterization and transient over-expression of Mi9LOX and MiEH2 genes in mango fruits. Recombinant Mi9LOX utilized linoleic and linolenic acids, while MiEH2 utilized aromatic and fatty acid epoxides as their respective substrates depicting their role in fatty acid metabolism. Significant increase in concentration of δ-valerolactone and δ-decalactone upon Mi9LOX over-expression and that of δ-valerolactone, γ-hexalactone and δ-hexalactone upon MiEH2 over-expression further suggested probable involvement of these genes in lactone biosynthesis in mango. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A toxicological and dermatological assessment of macrocyclic lactone and lactide derivatives when used as fragrance ingredients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Belsito, D.; Bickers, D.; Bruze, M.

    2011-01-01

    The Macrocyclic Lactone and Lactide derivative (ML) group of fragrance ingredients was critically evaluated for safety following a complete literature search. For high end users, calculated maximum dermal exposures vary from 0.47% to 11.15%; systemic exposures vary from 0.0008 to 0.25 mg/kg/day. ......The Macrocyclic Lactone and Lactide derivative (ML) group of fragrance ingredients was critically evaluated for safety following a complete literature search. For high end users, calculated maximum dermal exposures vary from 0.47% to 11.15%; systemic exposures vary from 0.0008 to 0.25 mg...

  9. Sesquiterpene lactones and other chemical constituents of Mikania hoehnei R.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaves Juliana S.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Phytochemical study of Mikania hoehnei yielded lupeyl acetate, stigmasterol, b-sitosterol, campesterol, b-sitosteryl glucopyranoside, stigmasteryl glucopyranoside, benzil 2,6-dimethoxybenzoate, luteolin, kaempferol and two sesquiterpene lactones: dehydrocostuslactone and 8b-hydroxyzaluzanin D. IR, ¹H and 13C NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses and comparisons with previously reported data were used for the identification of these compounds.

  10. Aminocyclopentanols as sugar mimics. Synthesis from unsaturated bicyclic lactones by Overman rearrangement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøjstrup, Marie; Fanefjord, Mette; Lundt, Inge

    2007-01-01

    Bicyclic cyclopentane lactones, prepared from bromodeoxyaldonolactones, were transformed into aminocyclopentanols with an Overman rearrangement as the key step. Two of the compounds prepared, 7 and 19, were found to be good inhibitors of jack bean alpha-mannosidase and beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminid...

  11. Determination of Lactones in Wines by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. J. Pérez-Olivero

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Application of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME coupled with high-resolution gas chromatographic (HRGC analysis was studied for determining lactones in wines. Six different SPME fibers were tested, and the influence of different factors such as temperature and time of desorption, ionic strength, time of extraction, content of sugar, ethanol, tannins and anthocyanins, and pH and influence of SO2 were studied. The proposed HS-SPME-GC method is an appropriate technique for the quantitative analysis of γ-butyrolactone, γ-hexalactone, trans-whiskey lactone, γ-octalactone, cis-whiskey lactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-decalactone, δ-decalactone, and γ-undecalactone in wines. Method reproducibility and repeatability ranged between 0.6 and 5.2% for all compounds. Detection limit for γ-butyrolactone was 0.17 mg/L and a few μg/L for the rest of the compounds. The optimized method has been applied to several wine samples.

  12. Dehydrocostus lactone is exuded from sunflower roots and stimulates germination of the root parasite Orobanche cumana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joel, Daniel M; Chaudhuri, Swapan K; Plakhine, Dina; Ziadna, Hammam; Steffens, John C

    2011-05-01

    The germination of the obligate root parasites of the Orobanchaceae depends on the perception of chemical stimuli from host roots. Several compounds, collectively termed strigolactones, stimulate the germination of the various Orobanche species, but do not significantly elicit germination of Orobanche cumana, a specific parasite of sunflower. Phosphate starvation markedly decreased the stimulatory activity of sunflower root exudates toward O. cumana, and fluridone - an inhibitor of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway - did not inhibit the production of the germination stimulant in both shoots and roots of young sunflower plants, indicating that the stimulant is not a strigolactone. We identified the natural germination stimulant from sunflower root exudates by bioassay-driven purification. Its chemical structure was elucidated as the guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone dehydrocostus lactone (DCL). Low DCL concentrations effectively stimulate the germination of O. cumana seeds but not of Phelipanche aegyptiaca (syn. Orobanche aegyptiaca). DCL and other sesquiterpene lactones were found in various plant organs, but were previously not known to be exuded to the rhizosphere where they can interact with other organisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Sesquiterpene lactone dermatitis in the young: is atopy a risk factor?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paulsen, Evy; Otkjaer, Aksel; Andersen, Klaus E

    2008-01-01

    was to present another 2 cases in children and review the literature. Screening with sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix has shown prevalence of 0.5% and 1.8% in 2 studies, while screening with 2 different Compositae mixes detected 4.2% and 2.6% positives among children and adolescents. All individual case reports...

  14. Sesquiterpene lactone trilobolide activates production of interferon-γ and nitric oxide

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kmoníčková, Eva; Harmatha, Juraj; Vokáč, Karel; Kostecká, Petra; Farghali, H.; Zídek, Zdeněk

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 81, č. 8 (2010), s. 1213-1219 ISSN 0367-326X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA305/07/0061 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512; CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : trilobolide * nitric oxide * sesquiterpene lactones Subject RIV: FR - Pharmacology ; Medidal Chemistry Impact factor: 1.899, year: 2010

  15. Heliolactone, a non-sesquiterpene lactone germination stimulant for root parasitic weeds from sunflower.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Kotomi; Furumoto, Toshio; Umeda, Shuhei; Mizutani, Masaharu; Takikawa, Hirosato; Batchvarova, Rossitza; Sugimoto, Yukihiro

    2014-12-01

    Root exudates of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) line 2607A induced germination of seeds of root parasitic weeds Striga hermonthica, Orobanche cumana, Orobanche minor, Orobanche crenata, and Phelipanche aegyptiaca. Bioassay-guided purification led to the isolation of a germination stimulant designated as heliolactone. FT-MS analysis indicated a molecular formula of C20H24O6. Detailed NMR spectroscopic studies established a methylfuranone group, a common structural component of strigolactones connected to a methyl ester of a C14 carboxylic acid via an enol ether bridge. The cyclohexenone ring is identical to that of 3-oxo-α-ionol and the other part of the molecule corresponds to an oxidized carlactone at C-19. It is a carlactone-type molecule and functions as a germination stimulant for seeds of root parasitic weeds. Heliolactone induced seed germination of the above mentioned root parasitic weeds, while dehydrocostus lactone and costunolide, sesquiterpene lactones isolated from sunflower root exudates, were effective only on O. cumana and O. minor. Heliolactone production in aquacultures increased when sunflower seedlings were grown hydroponically in tap water and decreased on supplementation of the culture with either phosphorus or nitrogen. Costunolide, on the other hand, was detected at a higher concentration in well-nourished medium as opposed to nutrient-deficient media, thus suggesting a contrasting contribution of heliolactone and the sesquiterpene lactone to the germination of O. cumana under different soil fertility levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Vapor pressures and enthalpies of vaporization of a series of γ and δ-lactones by correlation gas chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozlovskiy, Mikhail; Gobble, Chase; Chickos, James

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The vaporization enthalpies of γ-octanolactone, γ- and δ-undecanolactone and γ and δ-dodecanolactone are reported. • Equations for predicting the vapor pressures over the temperature range T = (298.15 to 350) K are provided. • Vaporization enthalpies are compared to predicted values. - Abstract: The vaporization enthalpies of γ-octanolactone, γ- and δ-undecanolactone and γ and δ-dodecanolactone used commercially as flavor ingredients are reported as are their vapor pressures over the temperature range T = (298.15 to 350) K. Vaporization enthalpies at T = 298.15 K of: (66.0 ± 3.9), (79.4 ± 4.4), (80.1 ± 4.5), (83.9 ± 4.6), and (84.61 ± 4.7) kJ · mol −1 and vapor pressures also at T = 298.15 K of: (2.8 ± 0.9), (0.12 ± 0.05), (0.09 ± 0.04), (0.04 ± 0.02), and (0.03 ± 0.02) Pa, respectively, have been evaluated by correlation gas chromatography experiments. The vaporization enthalpies of the lactones studied are reproduced within ±0.5 kJ · mol −1 using a group additivity scheme reported previously for γ- and δ-lactones. The vaporization enthalpies of the γ- and δ-lactones are compared to a similar series of ω-lactones

  17. Métodos de preparação de lactonas de anel médio Methods for the preparation of medium ring lactones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz S. Longo Junior

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available There are several natural products bearing medium ring lactone moieties, which are those containing a ring size in the range of 8 to 11 members. This review intends to cover the last 10 years (1996-2005 of the literature concerning the synthesis of medium ring lactones.

  18. ROLE OF MEMBRANE LIPID-COMPOSITION IN THE CYTOTOXICITY OF THE SESQUITERPENE LACTONE EUPATORIOPICRIN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANDERLINDE, JCC; WOERDENBAG, HJ; MALINGRE, TM; KAMPINGA, HH; KONINGS, AWT

    1993-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate a possible role of lipid peroxidation in the cytotoxicity of eupatoriopicrin, the principal sesquiterpene lactone from Eupatorum cannabinum L. Incorporation of arachidonic acid acyl chains in the phospholipids of cellular membranes of mouse fibroblast

  19. Cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Tanacetum praeteritum subsp praeteritum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goren, N; Woerdenbag, HJ; BozokJohansson, C

    1996-01-01

    Ten sesquiterpene lactones and one sesquiterpene isolated from Tanacetum praeteritum subsp. praeteritum: 1 alpha,6 alpha-dihydroxyisocostic acid methyl ester (2), 1 alpha-hydroxy-1-deoxoarglanine (3), douglanin (5), santamarin (6), reynosin (7), 1-epi-tatridin B (8), ludovicin A (10), armexin (12),

  20. Rhamnolipids and lactonic sophorolipids: natural antimicrobial surfactants for oral hygiene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elshikh, M; Moya-Ramírez, I; Moens, H; Roelants, S; Soetaert, W; Marchant, R; Banat, I M

    2017-11-01

    To assess the efficacy of rhamnolipid (mixture of monorhamnolipid and dirhamnolipid congeners), purified monorhamnolipid, dirhamnolipid and lactonic sophorolipid biosurfactants against pathogens important for oral hygiene. Acquired and produced biosurfactants were fully characterized to allow the antimicrobial activity to be assigned to the biosurfactant congeners. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using the resazurin-aided microdilution method. Mixed rhamnolipid JBR425 (MR) and lactonic sophorolipids (LSLs) demonstrated the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) which ranged between 100 and 400 μg ml -1 against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Neisseria mucosa and Streptococcus sanguinis. Combining these biosurfactants with standard antimicrobial agents namely chlorhexidine, sodium lauryl sulphate, tetracycline HCl and ciprofloxacin showed a dramatic drop in the MIC values. In addition, in vitro studies demonstrated the biosurfactants' ability to prevent and disrupt oral pathogens biofilms. The increased permeability of microorganisms treated with biosurfactant, as shown using bisbenzimide dye, in part explains the inhibition effect. The results demonstrate that rhamnolipids and LSLs have the ability to inhibit oral pathogens both in planktonic and oral biofilm states. The findings indicate the potential value of biosurfactants for both oral hygiene and the pharmaceutical industries since there is a serious need to reduce the reliance on synthetic antimicrobials and antibiotics. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Is autoinducer-2 a universal signal for interspecies communication: a comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis of the synthesis and signal transduction pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wagner-Döbler Irene

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Quorum sensing is a process of bacterial cell-to-cell communication involving the production and detection of extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers. Recently, it has been proposed that autoinducer-2 (AI-2, a furanosyl borate diester derived from the recycling of S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH to homocysteine, serves as a universal signal for interspecies communication. Results In this study, 138 completed genomes were examined for the genes involved in the synthesis and detection of AI-2. Except for some symbionts and parasites, all organisms have a pathway to recycle SAH, either using a two-step enzymatic conversion by the Pfs and LuxS enzymes or a one-step conversion using SAH-hydrolase (SahH. 51 organisms including most Gamma-, Beta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria, and Firmicutes possess the Pfs-LuxS pathway, while Archaea, Eukarya, Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria prefer the SahH pathway. In all 138 organisms, only the three Vibrio strains had strong, bidirectional matches to the periplasmic AI-2 binding protein LuxP and the central signal relay protein LuxU. The initial two-component sensor kinase protein LuxQ, and the terminal response regulator luxO are found in most Proteobacteria, as well as in some Firmicutes, often in several copies. Conclusions The genomic analysis indicates that the LuxS enzyme required for AI-2 synthesis is widespread in bacteria, while the periplasmic binding protein LuxP is only present in Vibrio strains. Thus, other organisms may either use components different from the AI-2 signal transduction system of Vibrio strains to sense the signal of AI-2, or they do not have such a quorum sensing system at all.

  2. Antiplasmodial activities and cytotoxic effects of aqueous extracts and sesquiterpene lactones from Neurolaena lobata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Francois, G; Passreiter, CM; Woerdenbag, HJ; VanLooveren, M

    Aqueous and lipophilic extracts of Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae), obtained from Guatemala, were tested against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Moreover, sesquiterpene lactones, of the germacranolide and furanoheliangolide type, isolated from N. lobata, were shown to be active against P. falciparum

  3. Hepatocurative potential of sesquiterpene lactones of Taraxacum officinale on carbon tetrachloride induced liver toxicity in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahesh, A; Jeyachandran, R; Cindrella, L; Thangadurai, D; Veerapur, V P; Muralidhara Rao, D

    2010-06-01

    The hepatocurative potential of ethanolic extract (ETO) and sesquiterpene lactones enriched fraction (SL) of Taraxacum officinale roots was evaluated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The diagnostic markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin contents were significantly elevated, whereas significant reduction in the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and enhanced hepatic lipid peroxidation, liver weight and liver protein were observed in CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Post-treatment with ETO and SL significantly protected the hepatotoxicity as evident from the lower levels of hepatic enzyme markers, such as serum transaminase (ALT, AST), ALP and total bilirubin. Further, significant reduction in the liver weight and liver protein in drug-treated hepatotoxic mice and also reduced oxidative stress by increasing reduced glutathione content and decreasing lipid peroxidation level has been noticed. The histopathological evaluation of the liver also revealed that ETO and SL reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by CCl 4 . The results indicate that sesquiterpene lactones have a protective effect against acute hepatotoxicity induced by the administration of CCl 4 in mice. Furthermore, observed activity of SL may be due to the synergistic action of two sesquiterpene lactones identified from enriched ethyl acetate fraction by HPLC method.

  4. Carboxymethyl glycoside lactone(CMGL) synthons:Scope of the method and preliminary results on step growth polymerization of α-azide-ω-alkyne glycomonomers

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHAMBERT; Stéphane; BERNARD; Julien; FLEURY; Etienne; QUENEAU; Yves

    2010-01-01

    Carboxymethyl glycoside lactones(CMGLs) are bicyclic synthons which open readily for accessing new types of pseudo-glycoconjugates,such as sugar-amino acid hybrids,neoglycolipids,pseudodisaccharides,and membrane imaging systems.After lactone opening,free OH-2 is available for further functionalization,leading to 1,2-bisfunctionalized derivatives.This strategy is illustrated herein with new polymerizable systems of the AB type bearing both azide and alkyne functions prepared from α or β gluco-CMGL synthons.After the reaction of lactones with propargylamine,an azido group was introduced by two different sequences leading to either the 2-manno-azido or the 6-gluco-azido products.The capability of these AB monomers to undergo step growth polymerization through copper(I) catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition(CuAAC) and generate glycopolytriazoles was evidenced.

  5. Immunobiological properties of sesquiterpene lactones obtained by chemically transformed structural modifications of trilobolide

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Harmatha, Juraj; Vokáč, Karel; Buděšínský, Miloš; Zídek, Zdeněk; Kmoníčková, Eva

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 107, Dec (2015), s. 90-99 ISSN 0367-326X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA305/07/0061 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378041 Keywords : sesquiterpene lactones * guaianolides * trilobolide derivatives * nitric oxide * cytokines * immunoactivity Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.408, year: 2015

  6. Detection of N-acylhomoserine lactones in lung tissues of mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, H; Song, Z; Hentzer, Morten

    2000-01-01

    The pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is associated with expression of virulence factors, many of which are controlled by two N:-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum-sensing systems. Escherichia coli strains equipped with a luxR-based monitor system expressing green fluorescent protein ...

  7. N-acylhomoserine-lactone-mediated communication between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia in mixed biofilms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riedel, K.; Hentzer, Morten; Geisenberger, O.

    2001-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia are capable of forming mixed biofilms in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Both bacteria employ quorum-sensing systems, which rely on N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules, to co- ordinate expression of virulence factors with the form...

  8. A concise route to branched erythrono-gamma-lactones. Synthesis of the leaf-closing substance potassium (+/-)-(2R,3R)-2,3,4-trihydroxy-2-methylbutanoate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Daniel Sejer; Robinson, Tony V; Taylor, Dennis K

    2009-01-01

    -94% yield), including the natural plant lactone (+/-)-2-C-d-methylerythrono-1,4-lactone 1. The latter compound was treated with aqueous potassium hydroxide to afford potassium (+/-)-(2R,3R)-2,3,4-trihydroxy-2-methylbutanoate 2, which is a leaf-closing substance of Leucaena leucocephalam....

  9. Quorum Sensing Disruption in Vibrio harveyi Bacteria by Clay Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naik, Sajo P; Scholin, Jonathon; Ching, San; Chi, Fang; Herpfer, Marc

    2018-01-10

    This work describes the use of clay minerals as catalysts for the degradation of quorum sensing molecule N-(3-oxooctanoyl)-dl-homoserine lactone. Certain clay minerals as a result of their surface properties and porosity can catalytically degrade the quorum sensing molecule into smaller fragments. The disruption of quorum sensing by clay in a growing Gram-negative Vibrio harveyi bacteria culture was also studied by monitoring luminescence and population density of the bacteria, wherein quenching of bacterial quorum sensing activity was observed by means of luminescence reduction. The results of this study show that food-grade clays can be used as biocatalysts in disrupting bacterial activity in various media.

  10. Vibrio vulnificus produces quorum sensing signals of the AHL-class

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valiente, E.; Bruhn, Jesper Bartholin; Nielsen, Kristian Fog

    2009-01-01

    ) class (AI-1). AHLs were detected in strains of biotype 1 and 2 from water, fish and human wound infections but not in strains isolated from human septicaemic cases. The AHL compound was identified as N-butanoyl-homoserine-lactone (C4-HL) by both reporter strains and by HPLC-high-resolution MS. C4-HL...... was detected when AHL-positive strains were grown in low-nutrient medium [modified sea water yeast extract (MSWYE)] but not in rich media (tryptic soy broth or brain–heart infusion) and its production was enhanced when blood factors were added to MSWYE. C4-HL was detected in vivo, in eels infected with AHL...

  11. Metabolites with Gram-negative bacteria quorum sensing inhibitory activity from the marine animal endogenic fungus Penicillium sp. SCS-KFD08.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Fan Dong; Zhou, Li Man; Ma, Qing Yun; Huang, Sheng Zhuo; Wang, Pei; Dai, Hao Fu; Zhao, You Xing

    2017-01-01

    Three new compounds named penicitor A, aculene E and penicitor B, as well as four known compounds, were isolated from the fermentation broth of Penicillium sp. SCS-KFD08 associated with a marine animal Sipunculus nudus from the Haikou bay of China. Their planar structures and absolute configurations were unambiguously elucidated by spectroscopic data, Mosher's method, CD spectrum analysis along with quantum ECD calculation. Among them, compounds 2-7 showed quorum sensing inhibitory activity against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026, and could significantly reduce violacein production in N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) induced C. violaceum CV026 cultures at sub-inhibitory concentrations.

  12. The enzymes of bacterial census and censorship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fast, Walter; Tipton, Peter A

    2012-01-01

    N-Acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are a major class of quorum-sensing signals used by Gram-negative bacteria to regulate gene expression in a population-dependent manner, thereby enabling group behavior. Enzymes capable of generating and catabolizing AHL signals are of significant interest for the study of microbial ecology and quorum-sensing pathways, for understanding the systems that bacteria have evolved to interact with small-molecule signals, and for their possible use in therapeutic and industrial applications. The recent structural and functional studies reviewed here provide a detailed insight into the chemistry and enzymology of bacterial communication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A critical review of producers of small lactone mycotoxins: patulin, penicillic acid and moniliformin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frisvad, J.C.

    2018-01-01

    A very large number of filamentous fungi has been reported to produce the small lactone mycotoxins patulin, penicillic acid and moniliformin. Among the 167 reported fungal producers of patulin, only production by 29 species could be confirmed. Patulin is produced by 3 Aspergillus species, 3...

  14. Evaluation of two autoinducer-2 quantification methods for application in marine environments

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Tian-Nyu

    2018-02-11

    This study evaluated two methods, namely high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and Vibrio harveyi BB170 bioassay, for autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quantification in marine samples. Using both methods, the study also investigated the stability of AI-2 in varying pH, temperature and media, as well as quantified the amount of AI-2 signals in marine samples.HPLC-FLD method showed a higher level of reproducibility and precision compared to V. harveyi BB170 bioassay. Alkaline pH > 8 and high temperature (> 37°C) increased the instability of AI-2. The AI-2 concentrations in seawater were low, ca. 3.2-27.6 pmol l-1 whereas 8- week old marine biofilm grew on an 18.8 cm2 substratum accumulated ca. 0.207 nmol of AI-2.Both methods have pros and cons for AI-2 quantification in marine samples. Regardless, both methods reported a ubiquitous presence of AI-2 in both planktonic and biomass fractions of seawater, as well as in marine biofilm.In this study, AI-2 signals were for the first time enumerated in marine samples to reveal the ubiquitous presence of AI-2 in this environment. The findings suggest a possible role of AI-2 in biofilm formation in marine environment, and the contribution of AI-2 in biofilm-associated problems such as biofouling and biocorrosion. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  15. Intra- and interspecies regulation of gene expression by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans LuxS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, K P; Chung, W O; Lamont, R J; Demuth, D R

    2001-12-01

    The cell density-dependent control of gene expression is employed by many bacteria for regulating a variety of physiological functions, including the generation of bioluminescence, sporulation, formation of biofilms, and the expression of virulence factors. Although periodontal organisms do not appear to secrete acyl-homoserine lactone signals, several species, e.g., Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum, have recently been shown to secrete a signal related to the autoinducer II (AI-2) of the signal system 2 pathway in Vibrio harveyi. Here, we report that the periodontal pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans expresses a homolog of V. harveyi luxS and secretes an AI-2-like signal. Cell-free conditioned medium from A. actinomycetemcomitans or from a recombinant Escherichia coli strain (E. coli AIS) expressing A. actinomycetemcomitans luxS induced luminescence in V. harveyi BB170 >200-fold over controls. AI-2 levels peaked in mid-exponential-phase cultures of A. actinomycetemcomitans and were significantly reduced in late-log- and stationary-phase cultures. Incubation of early-log-phase A. actinomycetemcomitans cells with conditioned medium from A. actinomycetemcomitans or from E. coli AIS resulted in a threefold induction of leukotoxic activity and a concomitant increase in leukotoxin polypeptide. In contrast, no increase in leukotoxin expression occurred when cells were exposed to sterile medium or to conditioned broth from E. coli AIS(-), a recombinant strain in which luxS was insertionally inactivated. A. actinomycetemcomitans AI-2 also induced expression of afuA, encoding a periplasmic iron transport protein, approximately eightfold, suggesting that LuxS-dependent signaling may play a role in the regulation of iron acquisition by A. actinomycetemcomitans. Finally, A. actinomycetemcomitans AI-2 added in trans complemented a luxS knockout mutation in P. gingivalis by modulating the expression of the lux

  16. Novel linear polymers able to inhibit bacterial quorum sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavaleiro, Eliana; Duarte, Ana Sofia; Esteves, Ana Cristina; Correia, António; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletska, Elena V; Piletsky, Sergey A; Chianella, Iva

    2015-05-01

    Bacterial phenotypes, such as biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance and virulence expression, are associated with quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is a density-dependent regulatory system of gene expression controlled by specific signal molecules, such as N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), produced and released by bacteria. This study reports the development of linear polymers capable to attenuate quorum sensing by adsorption of AHLs. Linear polymers were synthesized using MMA as backbone monomer and methacrylic acid and itaconic acid as functional monomers. Two different quorum sensing-controlled phenotypes, Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence and Aeromonas hydrophila biofilm formation, were evaluated to test the polymers' efficiency. Results showed that both phenotypes were significantly affected by the polymers, with the itaconic acid-containing material being more effective than the methacrylic acid one. The polymer inhibitory effects were reverted by the addition of lactones, confirming attenuation of quorum sensing through sequestration of signal molecules. The polymers also showed no cytotoxicity when tested using a mammalian cell line. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Routine patch testing with the sesquiterpene lactone mix in Europe: a 2-year experience

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paulsen, E; Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Brandão, F M

    1999-01-01

    To test the screening value of the sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix in Europe today and describe epidemiological and clinical features of Compositae-sensitive patients, the SL mix 0.1% pet. was included in the standard patch test series in 11 European clinics. 10,695 patients were tested, and 106 (1...

  18. Insights into the structure-activity relationship of the anticancer compound ZJ-101, a derivative of marine natural product superstolide A: A role played by the lactone moiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Haibo; Qian, Shan; Head, Sarah A; Liu, Jun O; Jin, Zhendong

    2016-10-01

    Compound ZJ-101, a structurally simplified analog of the marine natural product superstolide A, was previously developed in our laboratory. In the subsequent structure-activity relationship study, a new analog ZJ-109 was designed and synthesized to probe the importance of the lactone moiety of the molecule by replacing the lactone in ZJ-101 with a lactam. The biological evaluation showed that ZJ-109 is about 8-12 times less active against cancer cells in vitro than ZJ-101, suggesting that the lactone moiety of the molecule is important for its anticancer activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Confirmation of the definitive structure of Fleishmann`s lactone by NMR; Confirmacao da estrutura definitiva da lactona de Fleishmann por RMN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Figueroa Villar, Jose Daniel [Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Secao de Quimica

    1993-12-31

    The reaction between 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyrone and ethyl-acetic-acetate produces a compound known since the beginning of the century, named Fleishman lactone in honor to its discover. The structure of this compound has been the aim of several researches due to its similarity with several poly-pyrones which are important in synthesis of important products. This work presents the accurate determination of the structure of the Fleishman lactone. The methodology is presented as well as confirmation tests 9 refs., 2 tabs.

  20. 9-Hydroxyfurodysinin-O-ethyl Lactone: A New Sesquiterpene Isolated from the Tropical Marine Sponge Dysidea arenaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Karuso

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available A new sesquiterpene, 9-hydroxyfurodysinin-O-ethyl lactone, has been isolated from a New Caledonian Dysidea arenaria, along with three known compounds. The possible incorporation of the ethyl ether from the extraction solvent is discussed.

  1. Penicimenolides A-F, Resorcylic Acid Lactones from Penicillium sp., isolated from the Rhizosphere Soil of Panax notoginseng.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Ya-Nan; Zhang, Xue; Zhang, Tian-Yuan; Zhang, Meng-Yue; Qian-Zhang; Deng, Xiao-Yu; Zhao, Feng; Zhu, Ling-Juan; Wang, Guan; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Yi-Xuan; Liu, Bo; Yao, Xin-Sheng

    2016-06-08

    Five new 12-membered resorcylic acid lactone derivatives, penicimenolides A-E (1-5), one new ring-opened resorcylic acid lactone derivative penicimenolide F (6), and six known biogenetically related derivatives (7-12) were isolated from the culture broth of a strain of Penicillium sp. (NO. SYP-F-7919), a fungus obtained from the rhizosphere soil of Panax notoginseng collected from the Yunnan province of China. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR analyses, a modified Mosher's method, chemical derivatization and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compounds 2-4 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against the U937 and MCF-7 tumour cell lines and showed moderate cytotoxic activity against the SH-SY5Y and SW480 tumour cell lines. The substitution of an acetyloxy or 2-hydroxypropionyloxy group at C-7 significantly increased the cytotoxic activity of the resorcylic acid lactone derivatives. Subsequently, the possible mechanism of compound 2 against MCF-7 cells was preliminarily investigated by in silico analysis and experimental validation, indicating compound 2 may act as a potential MEK/ERK inhibitor. Moreover, proteomics analysis was performed to explore compound 2-regulated concrete mechanism underlying MEK/ERK pathway, which is still need further study in the future. In addition, compounds 2-4 and 7 exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on NO production induced by LPS.

  2. Sesquiterpene lactone mix as a diagnostic tool for Asteraceae allergic contact dermatitis: chemical explanation for its poor performance and Sesquiterpene lactone mix II as a proposed improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacob, Mathias; Brinkmann, Jürgen; Schmidt, Thomas J

    2012-05-01

    Two preparations are currently in use for the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis caused by Asteraceae: (i) Sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix [three pure sesquiterpene lactones (STLs)], whose use has been questioned, owing to an insufficient rate of true-positive results; and (ii) Compositae mix, consisting of five Asteraceae extracts, which is problematic because of lack of standardization and questionable reproducibility. To analyse the reasons for the narrow sensitivity of SL mix from a chemoinformatic point of view, and to propose a solution by rational selection of alternative constituents for a new SL mix II covering a broader cohort of allergic patients. Structural and biological information on allergenic STLs was retrieved from databases and the literature, and molecular modelling and chemoinformatic computations were performed. An explanation for the insufficient hit rate of SL mix is that the three constituents possess extremely similar molecular structures/properties and do not represent well the structural diversity of allergenic STLs. STLs that are known as constituents of Compositae mix plants show much a wider diversity, which explains the higher positive rate. On the basis of their positions in chemical property space, a new collection of STLs that more evenly cover the overall structural diversity spectrum is proposed. SL mix II is likely to detect a larger number of patients sensitized to Asteraceae. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  3. l-Galactono-gamma-lactone dehydrogenase from Arabidopsis thaliana, a flavoprotein involved in vitamin C biosynthesis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leferink, N.G.H.; Berg, van den W.A.M.; Berkel, van W.J.H.

    2008-01-01

    l-Galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GALDH; ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase; EC 1.3.2.3) is a mitochondrial flavoenzyme that catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) in plants. In the present study, we report on the biochemical properties of recombinant

  4. Exploring the Substrate Scope of Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenases with Branched Lactones as Entry towards Polyesters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Delgove, Marie; Fürst, Maximilian; Fraaije, Marco; Bernaerts, Katrien; de Wildeman, Stefaan

    2018-01-01

    Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are biocatalysts that are able to convert cyclic ketones into lactones by the insertion of oxygen. The aim of this study was to explore the substrate scope of several BVMOs with (biobased) cyclic ketones as precursors for the synthesis of branched polyesters.

  5. Exploring the substrate scope of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases with branched lactones as entry towards polyesters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Delgove, Marie; Fürst, Maximilian; Fraaije, Marco; Bernaerts, Katrien; De Wildeman, Stefaan M A

    2018-01-01

    Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are biocatalysts able to convert cyclic ketones to lactones by the insertion of oxygen. The aim of this study was to explore the substrate scope of several BVMOs with (biobased) cyclic ketones as precursors for the synthesis of branched polyesters.The product

  6. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia responds to exogenous AHL signals through the LuxR solo SmoR (Smlt1839).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, Paula; Huedo, Pol; Martinez-Servat, Sònia; Planell, Raquel; Ferrer-Navarro, Mario; Daura, Xavier; Yero, Daniel; Gibert, Isidre

    2015-01-01

    Quorum Sensing (QS) mediated by Acyl Homoserine Lactone (AHL) molecules are probably the most widespread and studied among Gram-negative bacteria. Canonical AHL systems are composed by a synthase (LuxI family) and a regulator element (LuxR family), whose genes are usually adjacent in the genome. However, incomplete AHL-QS machinery lacking the synthase LuxI is frequently observed in Proteobacteria, and the regulator element is then referred as LuxR solo. It has been shown that certain LuxR solos participate in interspecific communication by detecting signals produced by different organisms. In the case of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a preliminary genome sequence analysis revealed numerous putative luxR genes, none of them associated to a luxI gene. From these, the hypothetical LuxR solo Smlt1839, here designated SmoR, presents a conserved AHL binding domain and a helix-turn-helix DNA binding motif. Its genomic organization-adjacent to hchA gene-indicate that SmoR belongs to the new family "LuxR regulator chaperone HchA-associated." AHL-binding assays revealed that SmoR binds to AHLs in-vitro, at least to oxo-C8-homoserine lactone, and it regulates operon transcription, likely by recognizing a conserved palindromic regulatory box in the hchA upstream region. Supplementation with concentrated supernatants from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which contain significant amounts of AHLs, promoted swarming motility in S. maltophilia. Contrarily, no swarming stimulation was observed when the P. aeruginosa supernatant was treated with the lactonase AiiA from Bacillus subtilis, confirming that AHL contributes to enhance the swarming ability of S. maltophilia. Finally, mutation of smoR resulted in a swarming alteration and an apparent insensitivity to the exogenous AHLs provided by P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that S. maltophilia senses AHLs produced by neighboring bacteria through the LuxR solo SmoR, regulating population behaviors such as swarming

  7. The hydrocarbon-degrading marine bacterium Cobetia sp. strain MM1IDA2H-1 produces a biosurfactant that interferes with quorum sensing of fish pathogens by signal hijacking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibacache-Quiroga, C; Ojeda, J; Espinoza-Vergara, G; Olivero, P; Cuellar, M; Dinamarca, M A

    2013-01-01

    Summary Biosurfactants are produced by hydrocarbon-degrading marine bacteria in response to the presence of water-insoluble hydrocarbons. This is believed to facilitate the uptake of hydrocarbons by bacteria. However, these diffusible amphiphilic surface-active molecules are involved in several other biological functions such as microbial competition and intra-or inter-species communication. We report the isolation and characterization of a marine bacterial strain identified as Cobetia sp. MM1IDA2H-1, which can grow using the sulfur-containing heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dibenzothiophene (DBT). As with DBT, when the isolated strain is grown in the presence of a microbial competitor, it produces a biosurfactant. Because the obtained biosurfactant was formed by hydroxy fatty acids and extracellular lipidic structures were observed during bacterial growth, we investigated whether the biosurfactant at its critical micelle concentration can interfere with bacterial communication systems such as quorum sensing. We focused on Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, a fish pathogen whose virulence relies on quorum sensing signals. Using biosensors for quorum sensing based on Chromobacterium violaceum and Vibrio anguillarum, we showed that when the purified biosurfactant was mixed with N-acyl homoserine lactones produced by A. salmonicida, quorum sensing was inhibited, although bacterial growth was not affected. In addition, the transcriptional activities of A. salmonicida virulence genes that are controlled by quorum sensing were repressed by both the purified biosurfactant and the growth in the presence of Cobetia sp. MM1IDA2H-1. We propose that the biosurfactant, or the lipid structures interact with the N-acyl homoserine lactones, inhibiting their function. This could be used as a strategy to interfere with the quorum sensing systems of bacterial fish pathogens, which represents an attractive alternative to classical antimicrobial therapies in fish

  8. Plant Pathogenic Microbial Communication Affected by Elevated Temperature in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, N D; Chaudhary, A; Singh, S D; Singh, D; Walia, S; Das, T K

    2015-11-01

    Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacteria regulate specific gene expression in a population density-dependent manner by sensing level of Acyl-Homoserine Lactone (HSL) molecules which they produce and liberate to the environment, called Quorum Sensing (QS). The production of virulence factors (extracellular enzyme viz. cellulase, pectinase, etc.) in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) is under strong regulation of QS. The QS signal molecule, N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-Homoserine Lactone (OHHL) was found as the central regulatory system for the virulence factor production in Pcc and is also under strict regulation of external environmental temperature. Under seven different incubation temperatures (24, 26, 28, 30, 33, 35, and 37 °C) in laboratory condition, highest amount of OHHL (804 violacein unit) and highest (79 %) Disease Severity Index (DSI) were measured at 33 °C. The OHHL production kinetics showed accumulation of highest concentration of OHHL at late log phase of the growth but diminution in the concentration occurred during stationary phase onwards to death phase. At higher temperature (35 and 37 °C) exposure, OHHL was not at detectable range. The effect of temperature on virulence factor production is the concomitant effect of HSL production and degradation which justifies less disease severity index in cross-inoculated tomato fruits incubated at 35 and 37 °C. The nondetection of the OHHL in the elevated temperature may because of degradation as these signal molecules are quite sensitive and prone to get degraded under different physical factors. This result provides the rationale behind the highest disease severity up to certain elevated temperature and leaves opportunities for investigation on mutation, co-evolution of superior plant pathogen with more stable HSL signals-mediated pathogenesis under global warming context.

  9. Microbial Stereoselective One-Step Conversion of Diols to Chiral Lactones in Yeast Cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filip Boratyński

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available It has been shown that whole cells of different strains of yeast catalyze stereoselective oxidation of meso diols to the corresponding chiral lactones. Among screening-scale experiments, Candida pelliculosa ZP22 was selected as the most effective biocatalyst for the oxidation of monocyclic diols 3a–b with respect to the ratio of high conversion to stereoselectivity. This strain was used in the preparative oxidation, affording enantiomerically-enriched isomers of lactones: (+-(3aR,7aS-cis-hexahydro-1(3H -isobenzofuranone (2a and (+-(3aS,4,7,7aR-cis-tetrahydro-1(3H-isobenzofuranone (2b. Scaling up the culture growth, as well as biotransformation conditions has been successfully accomplished. Among more bulky substrates, bicyclic diol 3d was totally converted into enantiomerically-pure exo-bridged (+-(3aR,4S,7R,7aS-cis-tetrahydro-4,7-methanoisobenzofuran -1(3H-one (2d by Yarrovia lipolytica AR71. Microbial oxidation of diol 3f by Candida sake AM908 and Rhodotorula rubra AM4 afforded optically-pure cis-3-butylhexahydro-1(3H -isobenzofuranone (2f, however with low conversion.

  10. Autoinducer-2-like activity associated with foods and its interaction with food additives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Lingeng; Hume, Michael E; Pillai, Suresh D

    2004-07-01

    The autoinducer-2 (AI-2) molecule produced by bacteria as part of quorum sensing is considered to be a universal inducer signal in bacteria because it reportedly influences gene expression in a variety of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The objective of this study was to determine whether selected fresh produce and processed foods have AI-2-like activity and whether specific food additives can act as AI-2 mimics and result in AI-2-like activity. The luminescence-based response of the reporter strain Vibrio harveyi BB170 was used as the basis for determining AI-2 activity in the selected foods and food ingredients. Maximum AI-2 activity was seen on the frozen fish sample (203-fold, compared with the negative control) followed by tomato, cantaloupe, carrots, tofu, and milk samples. Interestingly, some samples were capable of inhibiting AI-2 activity. Turkey patties showed the highest inhibition (99.8% compared with the positive control) followed by chicken breast (97.5%), homemade cheeses (93.7%), beef steak (90.6%), and beef patties (84.4%). AI-2 activity was almost totally inhibited by sodium propionate, whereas sodium benzoate caused 93.3% inhibition, compared with 75% inhibition by sodium acetate. Sodium nitrate did not have any appreciable effect, even at 200 ppm. Understanding the relationships that exist between AI-2 activity on foods and the ecology of pathogens and food spoilage bacteria on foods could yield clues about factors controlling food spoilage and pathogen virulence.

  11. Quorum-sensing regulator RhlR but not its autoinducer RhlI enables Pseudomonas to evade opsonization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haller, Samantha; Franchet, Adrien; Hakkim, Abdul; Chen, Jing; Drenkard, Eliana; Yu, Shen; Schirmeier, Stefanie; Li, Zi; Martins, Nelson; Ausubel, Frederick M; Liégeois, Samuel; Ferrandon, Dominique

    2018-03-09

    When Drosophila melanogaster feeds on Pseudomonas aeruginosa , some bacteria cross the intestinal barrier and eventually proliferate in the hemocoel. This process is limited by hemocytes through phagocytosis. P. aeruginosa requires the quorum-sensing regulator RhlR to elude the cellular immune response of the fly. RhlI synthesizes the autoinducer signal that activates RhlR. Here, we show that rhlI mutants are unexpectedly more virulent than rhlR mutants, both in fly and in nematode intestinal infection models, suggesting that RhlR has RhlI-independent functions. We also report that RhlR protects P. aeruginosa from opsonization mediated by the Drosophila thioester-containing protein 4 (Tep4). RhlR mutant bacteria show higher levels of Tep4- mediated opsonization, as compared to rhlI mutants, which prevents lethal bacteremia in the Drosophila hemocoel. In contrast, in a septic model of infection, in which bacteria are introduced directly into the hemocoel, Tep4 mutant flies are more resistant to wild-type P. aeruginosa, but not to the rhlR mutant. Thus, depending on the infection route, the Tep4 opsonin can either be protective or detrimental to host defense. © 2018 The Authors.

  12. Expression of tropodithietic acid biosynthesis is controlled by a novel autoinducer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geng, Haifeng; Belas, Robert

    2010-09-01

    The interactions between marine prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms are crucial to many biological and biogeochemical processes in the oceans. Often the interactions are mutualistic, as in the symbiosis between phytoplankton, e.g., the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida and Silicibacter sp. TM1040, a member of the Roseobacter taxonomic lineage. It is hypothesized that an important component of this symbiosis is bacterial production of tropodithietic acid (TDA), a biologically active tropolone compound whose synthesis requires the expression of tdaABCDEF (tdaA-F), as well as six additional genes (cysI, malY, paaIJK, and tdaH). The factors controlling tda gene expression are not known, although growth in laboratory standing liquid cultures drastically increases TDA levels. In this report, we measured the transcription of tda genes to gain a greater understanding of the factors controlling their expression. While the expression of tdaAB was constitutive, tdaCDE and tdaF mRNA increased significantly (3.7- and 17.4-fold, respectively) when cells were grown in standing liquid broth compared to their levels with shaking liquid culturing. No transcription of tdaC was detected when a tdaCp::lacZ transcriptional fusion was placed in 11 of the 12 Tda(-) mutant backgrounds, with cysI being the sole exception. The expression of tdaC could be restored to 9 of the remaining 11 Tda(-) mutants-tdaA and tdaH failed to respond-by placing wild-type (Tda(+)) strains in close proximity or by supplying exogenous TDA to the mutant, suggesting that TDA induces tda gene expression. These results indicate that TDA acts as an autoinducer of its own synthesis and suggest that roseobacters may use TDA as a quorum signal.

  13. Sesquiterpene Lactone Composition and Cellular Nrf2 Induction of Taraxacum officinale Leaves and Roots and Taraxinic Acid β-d-Glucopyranosyl Ester.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esatbeyoglu, Tuba; Obermair, Betina; Dorn, Tabea; Siems, Karsten; Rimbach, Gerald; Birringer, Marc

    2017-01-01

    Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion, is a plant of the Asteraceae family, which is used as a food and medical herb. Various secondary plant metabolites such as sesquiterpene lactones, triterpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, and steroids have been described to be present in T. officinale. Dandelion may exhibit various health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. We analyzed the leaves and roots of the common dandelion (T. officinale) using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to determine its sesquiterpene lactone composition. The main compound of the leaf extract taraxinic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (1), a sesquiterpene lactone, was isolated and the structure elucidation was conducted by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. The leaf extract and its main compound 1 activated the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in human hepatocytes more significantly than the root extract. Furthermore, the leaf extract induced the Nrf2 target gene heme oxygenase 1. Overall, present data suggest that compound 1 may be one of the active principles of T. officinale.

  14. Identification of LasR Ligands through a Virtual Screening Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovstrup, Søren; Le Quement, Sebastian Thordal; Hansen, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    as an attractive therapeutic target for the next generation of antimicrobial agents. In the present study, a virtual screening workflow combining pharmacophore‐ and structure‐based approaches was used to identify new LasR ligands. Five novel inducers and three inhibitors of LasR activity were validated...... experimentally by use of a cell‐based assay. Interestingly, these compounds are molecularly distinct from the native signal molecule, N‐3‐oxododecanoyl‐L‐homoserine lactone (OHN), and may serve as lead structures for the design of new drugs. The binding modes of these compounds to the OHN binding site in Las......R were predicted and used to identify the key interactions that contribute to the induction and inhibition of LasR activity....

  15. Determination of autoinducer-2 in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection using pre-column derivatization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Xiang-Ning; Qiu, Hai-Bin; Xiao, Xiang; Cheng, Yuan-Yuan; Li, Wen-Wei; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Li, Xiao-Yan; Yu, Han-Qing

    2014-09-26

    Autoinducer-2 (AI-2), as a small-molecular-weight organic molecule secreted and perceived by various bacteria, enables intra- and inter-species communications. Quantitative determination of AI-2 is essential for exploring the bacterial AI-2-related physiological and biochemical processes. However, current strategies for sensitive detection of AI-2 require sophisticated instruments and complicated procedures. In this work, on the basis of the derivatization of AI-2 with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, a simple, sensitive and cost-effective high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) method is developed for the quantitative detection of AI-2. Under the optimized conditions, this method had a broad linear range of 10-14,000 ng/ml (R(2)=0.9999), and a low detection limit of 1.0 ng/ml. Furthermore, the effectiveness of this approach was further validated through measuring the AI-2 concentrations in the cell-free culture supernatants of both Escherichia coli and Vibrio harveyi. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. (1S-1,2-O-Benzylidene-α-d-glucurono-6,3-lactone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Watkin

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available X-ray crystallographic analysis has established that the major product from the protection of d-glucoronolactone with benzaldehyde is (1S-1,2-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucurono-6,3-lactone, C13H12O6, rather than the R epimer. The crystal structure exists as O—H...O hydrogen-bonded chains of molecules lying parallel to the a axis. The absolute configuration was determined by the use of d-glucuronolactone as the starting material.

  17. Analysing traces of autoinducer-2 requires standardization of the Vibrio harveyi bioassay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilchez, Ramiro; Lemme, André; Thiel, Verena; Schulz, Stefan; Sztajer, Helena; Wagner-Döbler, Irene

    2007-01-01

    Autoinducer-2 (furanosyl borate diester) is a biologically active compound whose role as a universal bacterial signalling molecule is currently under intense investigation. Because of its instability and the low concentrations of it found in biological samples, its detection relies at present on a bioassay that measures the difference in the timing of the luminescence of the Vibrio harveyi BB170 sensor strain with and without externally added AI-2. Here we systematically investigated which parameters affected the fold induction values of luminescence obtained in the bioassay and developed a modified protocol. Our experiments showed that growth and luminescence of V. harveyi BB170 are strongly influenced by trace elements. In particular, addition of Fe(3+) within a certain concentration range to the growth medium of the preinoculum culture improved the reproducibility and reduced the variance of the bioassay. In contrast, trace elements and vitamins introduced directly into the bioassay caused inhibitory effects. The initial density and luminescence of the sensor strain are very important and the values required for these parameters were defined. Borate interferes with the detection of AI-2 by giving false positive results. The response of V. harveyi BB170 to chemically synthesized AI-2 in the bioassay is nonlinear except over a very small concentration range; it is maximum over three orders of magnitude and shows inhibition above 35 microM. Based on the modified protocol, we were able to detect AI-2 in the absence of inhibitors with maximum fold induction values for the positive control (chemically synthesized AI-2) of >120 with a standard deviation of approximately 30% in a reliable and reproducible way.

  18. Antiplasmodial activities and cytotoxic effects of aqueous extracts and sesquiterpene lactones from Neurolaena lobata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    François, G; Passreiter, C M; Woerdenbag, H J; Van Looveren, M

    1996-04-01

    Aqueous and lipophilic extracts of Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae), obtained from Guatemala, were tested against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Moreover, sesquiterpene lactones, of the germacranolide and furanoheliangolide type, isolated from N. lobata, were shown to be active against P. falciparum in vitro. In addition to their antiplasmodial activity, their cytotoxic effects on human carcinoma cell lines were evaluated. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.

  19. Effect of γ-lactones and γ-lactams compounds on Streptococcus mutans biofilms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariane Beatriz Sordi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Considering oral diseases, antibiofilm compounds can decrease the accumulation of pathogenic species such as Streptococcus mutans at micro-areas of teeth, dental restorations or implant-supported prostheses. Objective To assess the effect of thirteen different novel lactam-based compounds on the inhibition of S. mutans biofilm formation. Material and methods We synthesized compounds based on γ-lactones analogues from rubrolides by a mucochloric acid process and converted them into their corresponding γ-hydroxy-γ-lactams by a reaction with isobutylamine and propylamine. Compounds concentrations ranging from 0.17 up to 87.5 μg mL-1 were tested against S. mutans. We diluted the exponential cultures in TSB and incubated them (37°C in the presence of different γ-lactones or γ-lactams dilutions. Afterwards, we measured the planktonic growth by optical density at 630 nm and therefore assessed the biofilm density by the crystal violet staining method. Results Twelve compounds were active against biofilm formation, showing no effect on bacterial viability. Only one compound was inactive against both planktonic and biofilm growth. The highest biofilm inhibition (inhibition rate above 60% was obtained for two compounds while three other compounds revealed an inhibition rate above 40%. Conclusions Twelve of the thirteen compounds revealed effective inhibition of S. mutans biofilm formation, with eight of them showing a specific antibiofilm effect.

  20. Imidazolines as Non-Classical Bioisosteres of N-Acyl homoserine lactones and Quorum Sensing Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mabel Montenegro-Sustaita

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A series of selected 2-substituted imidazolines were synthesized in moderate to excellent yields by a modification of protocols reported in the literature. They were evaluated as potential non-classical bioisosteres of AHL with the aim of counteracting bacterial pathogenicity. Imidazolines 18a, 18e and 18f at various concentrations reduced the violacein production by Chromobacterium violaceum, suggesting an anti-quorum sensing profile against Gram-negative bacteria. Imidazoline 18b did not affect the production of violacein, but had a bacteriostatic effect at 100 µM and a bactericidal effect at 1 mM. Imidazoline 18a bearing a hexyl phenoxy moiety was the most active compound of the series, rendering a 72% inhibitory effect of quorum sensing at 100 µM. Imidazoline 18f bearing a phenyl nonamide substituent presented an inhibitory effect on quorum sensing at a very low concentration (1 nM, with a reduction percentage of 28%. This compound showed an irregular performance, decreasing inhibition at concentrations higher than 10 µM, until reaching 100 µM, at which concentration it increased the inhibitory effect with a 49% reduction percentage. When evaluated on Serratia marcescens, compound 18f inhibited the production of prodigiosin by 40% at 100 μM.

  1. The quorum-quenching lactonase from Alicyclobacter acidoterrestris : purification, kinetic characterization, crystallization and crystallographic analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bergonzi, Celine; Schwab, Michael; Chabriere, Eric; Elias, Mikael

    2017-07-26

    Lactonases comprise a class of enzymes that hydrolyze lactones, including acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs); the latter are used as chemical signaling molecules by numerous Gram-negative bacteria. Lactonases have therefore been demonstrated to quench AHL-based bacterial communication. In particular, lactonases are capable of inhibiting bacterial behaviors that depend on these chemicals, such as the formation of biofilms or the expression of virulence factors. A novel representative from the metallo-β-lactamase superfamily, named AaL, was isolated from the thermoacidophilic bacteriumAlicyclobacter acidoterrestris. Kinetic characterization proves AaL to be a proficient lactonase, with catalytic efficiencies (kcat/Km) against AHLs in the region of 105M-1s-1. AaL exhibits a very broad substrate specificity. Its structure is expected to reveal the molecular determinants for its substrate binding and specificity, as well as to provide grounds for future protein-engineering projects. Here, the expression, purification, characterization, crystallization and X-ray diffraction data collection of AaL at 1.65Å resolution are reported.

  2. Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Sesquiterpene Lactones and Their Semi-Synthetic Amino Derivatives as Potential Antitrypanosomal Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie Zimmermann

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs are natural products that have potent antitrypanosomal activity in vitro and, in the case of cynaropicrin, also reduce parasitemia in the murine model of trypanosomiasis. To explore their structure-antitrypanosomal activity relationships, a set of 34 natural and semi-synthetic STLs and amino-STLs was tested in vitro against T. b. rhodesiense (which causes East African sleeping sickness and mammalian cancer cells (rat bone myoblast L6 cells. It was found that the α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety is necessary for both antitrypanosomal effects and cytotoxicity. Antitrypanosomal selectivity is facilitated by 2-(hydroxymethylacrylate or 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylenebutylate side chains, and by the presence of cyclopentenone rings. Semi-synthetic STL amines with morpholino and dimethylamino groups showed improved in vitro activity over the native STLs. The dimethylamino derivative of cynaropicrin was prepared and tested orally in the T. b. rhodesiense acute mouse model, where it showed reduced toxicity over cynaropicrin, but also lost antitrypanosomal activity.

  3. Sesquiterpene lactones and monoterpene glucosides from plant species Picris echoides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MILUTIN STEFANOVIC

    2000-11-01

    Full Text Available Investigation of the constituents of the aerial parts of domestic plant species Picris echoides afforded the sesquiterpene lactones, i.e., guaianolides jacquilenin (1, 11-epi-jacquilenin (2, achillin (3 and eudesmanolide telekin (4. The chemical indentification of the two monoterpene glucosides (–-cis-chrysanthenol-b-D-glucopyranoside (5 and its 6’-acetate 6 is also repoted. The guaianolide achillin (3 and the two monoterpene glucosides 5 and 6 were isolated for the first time from this plant species. Isolation was achieved by column chromatography and the structures were established mainly by the interpretation of their physical and spectral data, which were in agreement with those in the literature.

  4. Molecular identification of tuliposide B-converting enzyme: a lactone-forming carboxylesterase from the pollen of tulip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Taiji; Murase, Tatsunori; Ogita, Shinjiro; Kato, Yasuo

    2015-07-01

    6-Tuliposides A (PosA) and B (PosB), which are the major secondary metabolites in tulip (Tulipa gesneriana), are enzymatically converted to the antimicrobial lactonized aglycons, tulipalins A (PaA) and B (PaB), respectively. We recently identified a PosA-converting enzyme (TCEA) as the first reported member of the lactone-forming carboxylesterases. Herein, we describe the identification of another lactone-forming carboxylesterase, PosB-converting enzyme (TCEB), which preferentially reacts with PosB to give PaB. This enzyme was isolated from tulip pollen, which showed high PosB-converting activity. Purified TCEB exhibited greater activity towards PosB than PosA, which was contrary to that of the TCEA. Novel cDNA (TgTCEB1) encoding the TCEB was isolated from tulip pollen. TgTCEB1 belonged to the carboxylesterase family and was approximately 50% identical to the TgTCEA polypeptides. Functional characterization of the recombinant enzyme verified that TgTCEB1 catalyzed the conversion of PosB to PaB with an activity comparable with the native TCEB. RT-qPCR analysis of each part of plant revealed that TgTCEB1 transcripts were limited almost exclusively to the pollen. Furthermore, the immunostaining of the anther cross-section using anti-TgTCEB1 polyclonal antibody verified that TgTCEB1 was specifically expressed in the pollen grains, but not in the anther cells. N-terminal transit peptide of TgTCEB1 was shown to function as plastid-targeted signal. Taken together, these results indicate that mature TgTCEB1 is specifically localized in plastids of pollen grains. Interestingly, PosB, the substrate of TgTCEB1, accumulated on the pollen surface, but not in the intracellular spaces of pollen grains. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Anthelmintic activity of chicory (Cichorium intybus): in vitro effects on swine nematodes and relationship to sesquiterpene lactone composition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Williams, Andrew; Pena-Espinoza, Miguel Angel; Boas, Ulrik

    2016-01-01

    of a specific anthelmintic effect rather than generalized toxicity. Ultra-high liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the purified extracts were rich in sesquiterpene lactones (SL), and that the SL profile differed significantly between cultivars. This is the first report of anthelmintic...

  6. Sesquiterpene lactones. XXXIII. Guaianolides in the subgenus Psephellus (Cass. Schmalh., genus Centaurea L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerard Nowak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sesquiterpene lactones were found to occur in all of the studied species of the subgenus Psephellus (Cass. Schmalh. Differing compositions were found in the representatives of three sections. In Centaurea declinata MB. from the section Leucophylle (Sosn. Sosn.. 15-deoxyrepin, linichlorin B and cynaropicrin were found. Linichlorin B dominated in Centaurea hypoleucu DC. from section Hypoleucae (Sosn. Sosn., while in the species classified in section Psephellus Sosn., repin, acroptilin, jenerin, centaurepensin and, in some, also cynaropicrin. dominated.

  7. HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY USE IN ANALYSIS OF SESQUITERPENIC LACTONES OF LAURUS NOBILIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. P. Senchenko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We have developed a methodology of quantitative determination of sesquiterpenic lactones (costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone in leaves of Laurus nobilis using reversed phase HPLC. We have determined optimal conditions for the substances under study extraction from active parts. Using the developed methods we have established that costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone content in Laurus nobilis samples in terms of absolutely dry active parts is 0.99 and 0.26% correspondingly.

  8. Identification and characterization of an N-acylhomoserine lactone-dependent quorum-sensing system in Pseudomonas putida strain IsoF

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steidle, A.; Allesen-Holm, M.; Riedel, K.

    2002-01-01

    Recent reports have shown that several strains of Pseudomonas putida produce N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). These signal molecules enable bacteria to coordinately express certain phenotypic traits in a density-dependent manner in a process referred to as quorum sensing. In this study we have...

  9. INVESTIGATION OF HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECT OF SESQUITERPENE Γ-LACTONE AHILLIN IN HEPATOMA TISSUE CULTURE (HTC CELLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Ivanov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Investigation of hypolipidemic effect of sesquiterpene γ-lactone ahillin in hepatoma tissue culture (HTC cells.Material and methods. In this study we’ve evaluated the effect of γ-lactone sesquiterpene aсhillin and gemfibrozil (comparator drug on the lipid content in the hepatoma tissue culture (HTC cell which were incubated with a fat emulsion lipofundin by fluorescent method with vital dye Nile Redand staining the cells with the dye Oil Red O. The cell viability was investigated using the MTT-test and staining with Trypan blue.Results. Cultivation cells HTC with aсhillin and gemfibrozilat concentrations ranging from 0.5 to1.5 mM and from0.25 mM to0.5 mM, respectively, resulted in dose-dependent decrease of the fluorescence’s intensity Nile Red. It reflects a decrease in lipid content in the cells. At these concentrations the drugs didn’t have cytotoxic effect and the cell viability didn’t change compared to the control culture.An experimental hyperlipidemia in the hepatoma culture cells was induced by adding to the incubation medium a fat emulsion lipofundin at a final concentration 0.05%. The intensity of fluorescence Nile Red in the cells was increased 4 fold (p < 0.05. This result suggests the significant accumulation of lipids in the cell’s cytosol and confirmed by microscopy after staining neutral lipids with the dye Oil Red O. Under these conditions aсhillin and gemfibrozil reduced lipid content in cells and hadthe effect at concentrations of0.5 mM and0.25 mM respectively.Conclusion. In the lipofundin-mediated model of hyperlipidemia the sesquiterpene lactone aсhillin prevents the lipid accumulation in cells. It confirms by decrease of fluorescence Nile Red and reduction lipid drops which were stained with Oil Red O in cytosol. To establish the molecular targets of aсhillin’saction on lipid metabolism in cell culture HTC we need to investigate a gene expression of key enzymes of lipid metabolism.

  10. Autoinducer-2 plays a crucial role in gut colonization and probiotic functionality of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christiaen, Steven E A; O'Connell Motherway, Mary; Bottacini, Francesca; Lanigan, Noreen; Casey, Pat G; Huys, Geert; Nelis, Hans J; van Sinderen, Douwe; Coenye, Tom

    2014-01-01

    In the present study we show that luxS of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 is involved in the production of the interspecies signaling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2), and that this gene is essential for gastrointestinal colonization of a murine host, while it is also involved in providing protection against Salmonella infection in Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that a B. breve luxS-insertion mutant is significantly more susceptible to iron chelators than the WT strain and that this sensitivity can be partially reverted in the presence of the AI-2 precursor DPD. Furthermore, we show that several genes of an iron starvation-induced gene cluster, which are downregulated in the luxS-insertion mutant and which encodes a presumed iron-uptake system, are transcriptionally upregulated under in vivo conditions. Mutation of two genes of this cluster in B. breve UCC2003 renders the derived mutant strains sensitive to iron chelators while deficient in their ability to confer gut pathogen protection to Salmonella-infected nematodes. Since a functional luxS gene is present in all tested members of the genus Bifidobacterium, we conclude that bifidobacteria operate a LuxS-mediated system for gut colonization and pathogen protection that is correlated with iron acquisition.

  11. Autoinducer-2 plays a crucial role in gut colonization and probiotic functionality of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven E A Christiaen

    Full Text Available In the present study we show that luxS of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 is involved in the production of the interspecies signaling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2, and that this gene is essential for gastrointestinal colonization of a murine host, while it is also involved in providing protection against Salmonella infection in Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that a B. breve luxS-insertion mutant is significantly more susceptible to iron chelators than the WT strain and that this sensitivity can be partially reverted in the presence of the AI-2 precursor DPD. Furthermore, we show that several genes of an iron starvation-induced gene cluster, which are downregulated in the luxS-insertion mutant and which encodes a presumed iron-uptake system, are transcriptionally upregulated under in vivo conditions. Mutation of two genes of this cluster in B. breve UCC2003 renders the derived mutant strains sensitive to iron chelators while deficient in their ability to confer gut pathogen protection to Salmonella-infected nematodes. Since a functional luxS gene is present in all tested members of the genus Bifidobacterium, we conclude that bifidobacteria operate a LuxS-mediated system for gut colonization and pathogen protection that is correlated with iron acquisition.

  12. Functional assignment of Glu386 and Arg388 in the active site of l-galactono-¿-lactone dehydrogenase

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leferink, N.G.H.; Jose, M.D.F.; Berg, van den W.A.M.; Berkel, van W.J.H.

    2009-01-01

    The flavoenzyme l-galactono-¿-lactone dehydrogenase (GALDH) catalyzes the terminal step of vitamin C biosynthesis in plants. Little is known about the catalytic mechanism of GALDH and related aldonolactone oxidoreductases. Here we identified an essential Glu–Arg pair in the active site of GALDH from

  13. High-salt brines compromise autoinducer-mediated bacteriocinogenic Lactobacillus plantarum survival in Spanish-style green olive fermentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caballero-Guerrero, Belén; Lucena-Padrós, Helena; Maldonado-Barragán, Antonio; Ruiz-Barba, José Luis

    2013-02-01

    The effect of NaCl on plantaricin production by five Lactobacillus plantarum strains was investigated. Plantaricin production in these strains was found to be regulated by three-component regulatory systems ruled by two different autoinducer peptides (AIPs), either PLNC8IF or Plantaricin A. Bacteriocin activity exhibited by these strains came to a halt in liquid medium containing NaCl concentrations of or above 2%. In contrast, bacteriocin activity was still observed when the producing strains were growing on solid medium containing up to 4% NaCl. Bacteriocin activity in liquid medium containing up to 2% NaCl could be restored by coculturing the producing strains with a selected plantaricin-production inducing strain of Lactococcus lactis. Growth of these bacteriocinogenic L. plantarum strains was monitored in traditional Spanish-style green olive fermentations. Survival of these strains could not be enhanced when provided with a range of plantaricin-production inducing mechanisms previously described, such as constitutive AIP production or coinoculation with a specific bacteriocin-production inducing strain of L. lactis. Our results suggest that it is advisable the use of constitutive bacteriocin producers, or at least non-AIP-dependant ones, as starters for olive fermentations due to the intrinsic physical characteristics of this food fermentation, especially the high salt concentration of the brines currently used. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Five new lactone derivatives from the stems of Dendrobium nobile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xue-Ming; Zheng, Cai-Juan; Wu, Jia-Ting; Chen, Guang-Ying; Chen, Jun; Sun, Chong-Ge

    2016-12-01

    Five new lactone derivatives decumbic acids A and B (1 and 2), (-)-decumbic acid (3a), (-)- and (+)-dendrolactone (4a and 4b) together with four known compounds (3b and 5-7) were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium nobile. Their structures were elucidated using comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Compounds 3a and 3b, 4a and 4b were isolated as two pair of enantiomers by chiral HPLC. The absolute configurations of 1, 2, 3a, 4a and 4b were determined by optical rotation and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The inhibitory activities of all compounds against nine phytopathogenic fungi and three cancer cell lines were evaluated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Hydrodeoxygenation of the angelica lactone dimer, a cellulose-based feedstock: simple, high-yield synthesis of branched C7 -C10 gasoline-like hydrocarbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mascal, Mark; Dutta, Saikat; Gandarias, Inaki

    2014-02-10

    Dehydration of biomass-derived levulinic acid under solid acid catalysis and treatment of the resulting angelica lactone with catalytic K2 CO3 produces the angelica lactone dimer in excellent yield. This dimer serves as a novel feedstock for hydrodeoxygenation, which proceeds under relatively mild conditions with a combination of oxophilic metal and noble metal catalysts to yield branched C7 -C10 hydrocarbons in the gasoline volatility range. Considering that levulinic acid is available in >80 % conversion from raw biomass, a field-to-tank yield of drop-in, cellulosic gasoline of >60 % is possible. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Safety and clinical efficacy of tenvermectin, a novel antiparasitic 16-membered macrocyclic lactone antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fei, Chenzhong; She, Rufeng; Li, Guiyu; Zhang, Lifang; Fan, Wushun; Xia, Suhan; Xue, Feiqun

    2018-05-30

    Tenvermectin (TVM) is a novel 16-membered macrocyclic lactone antibiotics, which contains component TVM A and TVM B. However there is not any report on safety and clinical efficacy of TVM for developing as a potential drug. In order to understand the part of safety and clinical efficacy of TVM, we conducted the acute toxicity test, the standard bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test and the clinical deworming test. In the acute toxicity studies, TVM, TVM A and ivermectin (IVM) were administrated once by oral gavage to mice and rats. Results showed that the oral LD 50 values of TVM, TVM A and IVM in mice were 74.41, 106.95 and 53.06 mg/kg respectively. The oral LD 50 values of TVM and TVM A in rats were determined to be 164.22 and 749.34 mg/kg respectively. TVM and IVM are moderately toxic substances, meanwhile the TVM A belongs to low toxic compounds, implying that the acute toxicity is highly related to the length of side chain of TVM at position C25. In the Ames test, results showed that TVM did not induce mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1535 with and without metabolic activation system, speculating that the mutagenicity is probably not related to the side chain at position C25 of 16-membered macrocyclic lactone antibiotics. In the efficacy trail of TVM against swine nematodes, growing pigs natural infection of Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis were treated with a single subcutaneous injection 0.3 mg/kg b.w.. Results showed that TVM and IVM had excellent effect in expelling Ascaris suum, and TVM had potential efficacy against Trichuris suis, however IVM had no effect on Trichuris suis. This study suggests that the side chain of TVM at position C25 may have important biological functions, which is one of the key sites of the studies on structure-activity relationship of 16-membered macrocyclic lactone compounds. TVM is a new compound exhibited some advantages worthy of developing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All

  17. Synthesis and antifungal activity of new bis-{gamma}-lactones analogous to avenaciolide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Magaton, Andreia da Silva; Rubinger, Mayura M. M.; Macedo Junior, Fernando C. de [Vicosa Univ., MG (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica]. E-mail: mayura@ufv.br; Zambolim, Laercio [Vicosa Univ., MG (Brazil). Dept. de Fitopatologia

    2007-03-15

    In a study of the antifungal activity of selected compounds as potentials agrochemicals, we have prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared and NMR spectroscopies three new bis-{gamma}-lactones analogous to avenaciolide, where the octyl group of this natural product was replaced by heptyl, hexyl and pentyl groups. The effects on the mycelia development and conidia germination of Colletotrichum gloesporioides of these compounds and their synthetic precursors were evaluated in vitro. The title compounds were active in the tested conditions, while all the synthetic precursors were inactive. The preparation and characterization of 15 new synthetic intermediates are also described. (author)

  18. Synthesis and study of rare earth ortho-hydroxyphenyliminodiacetates with open lactone ring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martynenko, L.I.; Mitrofanova, N.D.; Muratova, N.M.; Kurbatova, S.V.

    1978-01-01

    New La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er, and Y o-oxyphenyliminodiacetates of Ln 2 (HL) 3 xnH 2 O composition have been synthesized using the reaction of Ln chloride solutions with o-oxyphenyliminodiacetic acid previously converted into a soluble K 2 HL salt. According to the data of infrared spectra, the ligand contains an open lactone ring and ionized carboxylic groups. At the temperature of 80-190 deg the complexes undergo dehydration. The order of dehydration reaction for La, Nd, and Y complexes is equal to 2, activation energies are equal to 16.9, 12.5 and 13.2 kcal/mol, respectively

  19. Rubrolides as model for the development of new lactones and their aza analogs as potential photosynthesis inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Ulisses A; Barbosa, Luiz C A; Demuner, Antônio J; Silva, Antônio A; Bertazzini, Michele; Forlani, Giuseppe

    2015-07-01

    Natural phytotoxins and their synthetic analogs are a potential source of new bioactive compounds for agriculture. Analogs of rubrolides, a class of γ-alkylidene-γ-lactones isolated from different ascidians, have been shown to interfere with the photosynthetic electron-transport chain, yet their activity needs to be improved. With this aim, ten 5-aryl-6-benzyl-4-bromopyridazin-3(2H)-ones were prepared in yields ranging from 44 to 88% by reaction of their correspondent γ-alkylidene-γ-lactones with NH2 NH2 . The structures of these rubrolide analogs were determined by (1) H- and (13) C-NMR, 2D-NMR (COSY and HETCOR), NOE difference, and MS techniques. These compounds were evaluated for their abilities of interfering with the light-driven reduction of ferricyanide by isolated spinach chloroplasts. Lactones with electron-withdrawing substituents in the para-position of the benzylidene ring were the most effective inhibitors. Characterization of the activity of 11b/11b' suggested a mechanism based on the interaction with the plastoquinone binding site of photosystem II. Addition of several compounds to the culture medium of a cyanobacterial model strain was found to inhibit algal growth. However, the relative effectiveness was not consistent with their activity in vitro, suggesting the occurrence of multiple targets and/or detoxyfication mechanisms. Indeed, the compounds showed differential effects on the heterotrophic growth of some crop species, Cucumis sativus and Sorghum bicolor. Pyridazin-3(2H)-ones 12e, 12i, and 12j, which have been found poorly active against the photosynthetic electron transport, were the most effective in inhibiting the growth of some weeds, Ipomoea grandifolia and Brachiaria decumbens, under greenhouse conditions. Copyright © 2015 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  20. PA0305 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a quorum quenching acylhomoserine lactone acylase belonging to the Ntn hydrolase superfamily

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wahjudi, Mariana; Papaioannou, Evelina; Hendrawati, Oktavia; van Assen, Aart H. G.; van Merkerk, Ronald; Cool, Robbert H.; Poelarends, Gerrit J.; Quax, Wim

    The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 genome has at least two genes, pvdQ and quiP, encoding acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) acylases. Two additional genes, pa 1893 and pa0305, have been predicted to encode penicillin acylase proteins, but have not been characterized. Initial studies on a pa0305 transposon

  1. Autoinducer-2 Quorum Sensing Contributes to Regulation of Microcin PDI in Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shao-Yeh Lu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The Escherichia coli quorum sensing (QS signal molecule, autoinducer-2 (AI-2, reaches its maximum concentration during mid-to-late growth phase after which it quickly degrades during stationary phase. This pattern of AI-2 concentration coincides with the up- then down-regulation of a recently described microcin PDI (mccPDI effector protein (McpM. To determine if there is a functional relationship between these systems, a prototypical mccPDI-expressing strain of E. coli 25 was used to generate ΔluxS, ΔlsrACDBFG (Δlsr, and ΔlsrR mutant strains that are deficient in AI-2 production, transportation, and AI-2 transport regulation, respectively. Trans-complementation, RT-qPCR, and western blot assays were used to detect changes of microcin expression and synthesis under co-culture and monoculture conditions. Compared to the wild-type strain, the AI-2-deficient strain (ΔluxS and -uptake negative strain (Δlsr were >1,000-fold less inhibitory to susceptible bacteria (P < 0.05. With in trans complementation of luxS, the AI-2 deficient mutant reduced the susceptible E. coli population by 4-log, which was within 1-log of the wild-type phenotype. RT-qPCR and western blot results for the AI-2 deficient E. coli 25 showed a 5-fold reduction in mcpM transcription with an average 2-h delay in McpM synthesis. Furthermore, overexpression of sRNA micC and micF (both involved in porin protein regulation was correlated with mcpM regulation, consistent with a possible link between QS and mcpM regulation. This is the direct first evidence that microcin regulation can be linked to quorum sensing in a Gram-negative bacterium.

  2. Simultaneous quantitative determination of 11 sesquiterpene lactones in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) leaves by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Xiaoyan; Yang, Qianxu

    2017-04-01

    A method of ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed for the simultaneous quantification of 11 sesquiterpene lactones in 11 Jerusalem artichoke leaf samples harvested in a number of areas at different periods. The optimal chromatographic conditions were achieved on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C 18 column (3.0 × 150 mm, 1.8 μm) with linear gradient elution of methanol and water in 8 min. Quantitative analysis was carried out under selective ion monitoring mode. All of the sesquiterpene lactones showed good linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.9949), repeatability (relative standard deviations Jerusalem artichoke leaf samples from different areas. Among them, the content of sesquiterpene lactones in the sample collected from Dalian, Liaoning province was the highest and the early flowering period was considered to be the optimal harvest time. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Phytotoxic properties of cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone fromcentaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelsey, R G; Locken, L J

    1987-01-01

    Water and solvent extracts from the aerial tissues ofCentaurea maculosa, spotted knapweed, inhibited the root growth of lettuce. Column chromatography and lettuce bioassay of a chloroform extract led to the isolation of cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone. Pure cnicin was bioassayed at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg/5 ml water with lettuce, created wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, western larch, lodgepole pine, and spotted knapweed. Germination was inhibited at one or more concentrations for all species except lodgepole pine and spotted knapweed. Growth, particularly of the roots, was retarded between 1 and 4 mg of cnicin. Lettuce, bluebunch wheatgrass, and spotted knapweed were inhibited significantly at all concentrations tested.

  4. Influence of bacterial N-acyl-homoserinelactones on growth parameters, pigments, antioxidative capacities and the xenobiotic phase II detoxification enzymes in barley and yam bean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine eGoetz-Roesch

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria are able to communicate with each other and sense their environment in a population density dependent mechanism known as quorum sensing (QS. N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs are the QS signalling compounds of Gram-negative bacteria which are frequent colonizers of rhizospheres. While cross-kingdom signalling and AHL-dependent gene expression in plants has been confirmed, the responses of enzyme activities in the eukaryotic host upon AHLs are unknown. Since AHL are thought to be used as so-called plant boosters or strengthening agents, which might change their resistance towards radiation and/or xenobiotic stress, we have examined the plants’ pigment status and their antioxidative and detoxifying capacities upon AHL treatment. Because the yield of a crop plant should not be negatively influenced, we have also checked for growth and root parameters.We investigated the influence of three different AHLs, namely N-hexanoyl- (C6-HSL, N-octanoyl- (C8-HSL and N-decanoyl- homoserine lactone (C10-HSL on two agricultural crop plants. The AHL-effects on Hordeum vulgare (L. as an example of a monocotyledonous crop and on the tropical leguminous crop plant Pachyrhizus erosus (L were compared. While plant growth and pigment contents in both plants showed only small responses to the applied AHLs, AHL treatment triggered tissue- and compound-specific changes in the activity of important detoxification enzymes. The activity of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR in barley shoots after C10-HSL treatment for instance increased up to 384% of control plant levels, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD activity in barley roots was decreased down to 23% of control levels upon C6-HSL treatment. Other detoxification enzymes reacted similarly within this range, with interesting clusters of positive or negative answers towards AHL treatment. In general the changes on the enzyme level were more severe in barley than in yam bean which might be due to the different

  5. A sensitive fluorescence reporter for monitoring quorum sensing regulated protease production in Vibrio harveyi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajamani, Sathish; Sayre, Richard T

    2011-02-01

    Many bacteria produce and secrete proteases during host invasion and pathogenesis. Vibrio harveyi, an opportunistic pathogen of shrimp, is known to use a two-component quorum sensing (QS) mechanism for coordination of gene expression including protease secretion at high population densities. We examined the role of V. harveyi's QS signaling molecules, N-(3-hydroxybutanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (AI-1) and the boron derivative of autoinducer-2 (BAI-2) in extracellular protease production. A fusion protein, M3CLPY (Rajamani et al., 2007), consisting of a large protease sensitive BAI-2 mutant receptor LuxP (~38kDa) flanked by two protease insensitive cyan and yellow variants of GFP (~28kDa each) was utilized as a substrate to detect secreted protease activity. The M3CLPY fusion, with the addition of wild-type V. harveyi (BB120) cell-free culture filtrate showed a time-dependent loss in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) associated with the cleavage of the LuxP linker protein and hence separation of the two fluorophores. This cleavage of LuxP linker protein leading to decreased FRET efficiency was further confirmed by immunoblotting using anti-GFP antibody. The addition of cell-free filtrates from strains defective in one or both of the two-component QS pathways: luxN(-) (defective in AI-1), luxS(-) (defective in BAI-2), and luxN(-)/luxS(-) (defective in both AI-1/BAI-2) showed differential levels of protease production. The observed protease activities were most pronounced in wild-type, followed by the AI-1 defective mutant (BB170) and the least for luxS(-) mutant (MM30) and luxN(-)/luxS(-) double mutant (MM32) strains. Incidentally, the lowest protease producing strains MM30 and MM32 were both defective in BAI-2 production. This observation was validated by addition of synthetic BAI-2 to MM30 and MM32 strains to restore protease production. Our results indicate that BAI-2 signaling in the two-component QS pathway plays the key role in regulating

  6. The inflammatory and tumor-promoting sesquiterpene lactone, thapsigargin, activates platelets by selective mobilization of calcium as shown by protein phosphorylations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thastrup, Ole; Linnebjerg, H; Bjerrum, P J

    1987-01-01

    We have studied the activation of human blood platelets by the inflammatory and tumor-promoting sesquiterpene lactone, thapsigargin. The effect of thapsigargin was compared with other common agonists (calcium ionophore A23187, phorbol ester TPA and thrombin). Platelet aggregation, serotonin release...

  7. CYTOTOXICITY OF FLAVONOIDS AND SESQUITERPENE LACTONES FROM ARNICA SPECIES AGAINST THE GLC(4) AND THE COLO-320 CELL-LINES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    WOERDENBAG, HJ; MERFORT, [No Value; PASSREITER, CM; SCHMIDT, TJ; WILLUHN, G; VANUDEN, W; PRAS, N; KAMPINGA, HH; KONINGS, AWT

    1994-01-01

    The cytotoxicity of 21 flavonoids and 5 sesquiterpene lactones, as present in Arnica species, was studied in GLC(4), a human small cell lung carcinoma cell line, and in COLO 320, a human colorectal cancer cell line, using the microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Following continuous incubation,

  8. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: interactions with organisms in the environment and cells of the immune defence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skindersø, Mette Elena

    2008-01-01

    , which emphasises the urgent need for development of novel strategies that will help us to defeat this pathogen. P. aeruginosa biofilm cells display a multicellular-like coordinated behaviour and control expression of virulence factors, elements involved in biofilm development and immunomodulating...... factors by means of signal molecule mediated communication, known as quorum sensing. This thesis explores a strategy which aims to counteract P. aeruginosa virulence and pathogenicity by impeding its cell-to-cell communication. A treatment regime, which focuses on targeting bacterial communication instead......; two quorum sensing signal molecules; the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal and N-3-oxododecanoyl L-homoserine lactone exhibit the ability to modulate activities of the immune defence in addition to functioning as quorum sensing mediators. The two signal molecules impair activities of immune cells crucial...

  9. Mitigation of membrane biofouling by a quorum quenching bacterium for membrane bioreactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ham, So-Young; Kim, Han-Shin; Cha, Eunji; Park, Jeong-Hoon; Park, Hee-Deung

    2018-06-01

    In this study, a quorum-quenching (QQ) bacterium named HEMM-1 was isolated at a membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant. HEMM-1 has diplococcal morphology and 99% sequence identity to Enterococcus species. The HEMM-1 cell-free supernatant (CFS) showed higher QQ activities than the CFS of other QQ bacteria, mostly by degrading N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) with short acyl chains. Instrumental analyses revealed that HEMM-1 CFS degraded AHLs via lactonase activity. Under static, flow, and shear conditions, the HEMM-1 CFS was effective in reducing bacterial and activated-sludge biofilms formed on membrane surfaces. In conclusion, the HEMM-1 isolate is a QQ bacterium applicable to the control of biofouling in MBRs via inhibition of biofilm formation on membrane surfaces. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Pharmacological insight into the anti-inflammatory activity of sesquiterpene lactones from Neurolaena lobata (L.) R.Br. ex Cass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinnon, R; Binder, M; Zupkó, I; Afonyushkin, T; Lajter, I; Vasas, A; de Martin, R; Unger, C; Dolznig, H; Diaz, R; Frisch, R; Passreiter, C M; Krupitza, G; Hohmann, J; Kopp, B; Bochkov, V N

    2014-10-15

    Neurolaena lobata is a Caribbean medicinal plant used for the treatment of several conditions including inflammation. Recent data regarding potent anti-inflammatory activity of the plant and isolated sesquiterpene lactones raised our interest in further pharmacological studies. The present work aimed at providing a mechanistic insight into the anti-inflammatory activity of N. lobata and eight isolated sesquiterpene lactones, as well as a structure-activity relationship and in vivo anti-inflammatory data. The effect of the extract and its compounds on the generation of pro-inflammatory proteins was assessed in vitro in endothelial and monocytic cells by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Their potential to modulate the expression of inflammatory genes was further studied at the mRNA level. In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the chemically characterized extract was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. The compounds and extract inhibited LPS- and TNF-α-induced upregulation of the pro-inflammatory molecules E-selectin and interleukin-8 in HUVECtert and THP-1 cells. LPS-induced elevation of mRNA encoding for E-selectin and interleukin-8 was also suppressed. Furthermore, the extract inhibited the development of acute inflammation in rats. Sesquiterpene lactones from N. lobata interfered with the induction of inflammatory cell adhesion molecules and chemokines in cells stimulated with bacterial products and cytokines. Structure-activity analysis revealed the importance of the double bond at C-4-C-5 and C-2-C-3 and the acetyl group at C-9 for the anti-inflammatory activity. The effect was confirmed in vivo, which raises further interest in the therapeutic potential of the compounds for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. Short communication: The role of autoinducer 2 (AI-2) on antibiotic resistance regulation in an Escherichia coli strain isolated from a dairy cow with mastitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Ting; Yu, Lumin; Shang, Fei; Li, Wenchang; Zhang, Ming; Ni, Jingtian; Chen, Xiaolin

    2016-06-01

    Extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Escherichia coli is a major etiological organism responsible for bovine mastitis. The autoinducer 2 (AI-2) quorum sensing system is widely present in many species of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and has been proposed to be involved in interspecies communication. In E. coli model strains, the functional mechanisms of AI-2 have been well studied; however, in clinical antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains, whether AI-2 affects the expression of antibiotic resistance genes has not been reported. In this study, we report that exogenous AI-2 increased the antibiotic resistance of a clinical E. coli strain isolated from a dairy cow with mastitis by upregulating the expression of TEM-type enzyme in an LsrR (LuxS regulated repressor)-dependent manner. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Anti-proliferative, Cytotoxic and NF-ĸB Inhibitory Properties of Spiro(Lactone-Cyclohexanone) Compounds in Human Leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouhenna, Mustapha M; Orlikova, Barbora; Talhi, Oualid; Schram, Ben; Pinto, Diana C G A; Taibi, Nadia; Bachari, Khaldoun; Diederich, Marc; Silva, Artur M S; Mameri, Nabil

    2017-09-01

    NF-ĸB affects most aspects of cellular physiology. Deregulation of NF-ĸB signaling is associated with inflammatory diseases and cancer. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic and NF-ĸB inhibition potential of new spiro(lactone-cyclohexanone) compounds in two different human leukemia cell lines (U937 and K562). The anti-proliferative effects of the spiro(lactone-cyclohexanone) compounds on human K562 and U937 cell lines was evaluated by trypan blue staining, as well as their involvement in NF-kB regulation were analyzed by luciferase reporter gene assay, Caspase-3/7 activities were evaluated to analyze apoptosis induction. Both spiro(coumarin-cyclohexanone) 4 and spiro(6- methyllactone-cyclohexanone) 9 down-regulated cancer cell viability and proliferation. Compound 4 inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-ĸB activation in a dose-dependent manner and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in both leukemia cell lines. Results show that compound 4 and compound 9 have potential as anti-cancer agents. In addition, compound 4 exerted NF-kB inhibition activity in leukemia cancer cells. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  13. Effects of lactone, ketone, and phenolic compounds on methane production and metabolic intermediates during anaerobic digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wikandari, Rachma; Sari, Noor Kartika; A'yun, Qurrotul; Millati, Ria; Cahyanto, Muhammad Nur; Niklasson, Claes; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J

    2015-02-01

    Fruit waste is a potential feedstock for biogas production. However, the presence of fruit flavors that have antimicrobial activity is a challenge for biogas production. Lactones, ketones, and phenolic compounds are among the several groups of fruit flavors that are present in many fruits. This work aimed to investigate the effects of two lactones, i.e., γ-hexalactone and γ-decalactone; two ketones, i.e., furaneol and mesifurane; and two phenolic compounds, i.e., quercetin and epicatechin on anaerobic digestion with a focus on methane production, biogas composition, and metabolic intermediates. Anaerobic digestion was performed in a batch glass digester incubated at 55 °C for 30 days. The flavor compounds were added at concentrations of 0.05, 0.5, and 5 g/L. The results show that the addition of γ-decalactone, quercetin, and epicathechin in the range of 0.5-5 g/L reduced the methane production by 50 % (MIC50). Methane content was reduced by 90 % with the addition of 5 g/L of γ-decalactone, quercetin, and epicathechin. Accumulation of acetic acid, together with an increase in carbon dioxide production, was observed. On the contrary, γ-hexalactone, furaneol, and mesifurane increased the methane production by 83-132 % at a concentration of 5 g/L.

  14. Visible-Light-Promoted Metal-Free Aerobic Oxidation of Primary Amines to Acids and Lactones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Xiaokai; Yang, Bo; Hu, Xingen; Xu, Qing; Lu, Zhan

    2016-12-05

    A unique metal-free aerobic oxidation of primary amines via visible light photocatalytic double carbon-carbon bonds cleavage and multi carbon-hydrogen bonds oxidation was observed. Aerobic oxidation of primary amines could be controlled to afford acids by using dioxane with 18 W CFL, and lactones by using DMF with 8 W green LEDs, respectively. A plausible mechanism was proposed based on control experiments. This observation showed direct evidences for the fragmentation in the aerobic oxidation of aliphatic primary amines. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Authentication of pineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) fruit maturity stages by quantitative analysis of γ- and δ-lactones using headspace solid-phase microextraction and chirospecific gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-SIM-MS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steingass, Christof B; Langen, Johannes; Carle, Reinhold; Schmarr, Hans-Georg

    2015-02-01

    Headspace solid phase microextraction and chirospecific gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode (HS-SPME-GC-SIM-MS) allowed quantitative determination of δ-lactones (δ-C8, δ-C10) and γ-lactones (γ-C6, γ-C8, γ-C10). A stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) with d7-γ-decalactone as internal standard was used for quantitative analysis of pineapple lactones that was performed at three progressing post-harvest stages of fully ripe air-freighted and green-ripe sea-freighted fruits, covering the relevant shelf-life of the fruits. Fresh pineapples harvested at full maturity were characterised by γ-C6 of high enantiomeric purity remaining stable during the whole post-harvest period. In contrast, the enantiomeric purity of γ-C6 significantly decreased during post-harvest storage of sea-freighted pineapples. The biogenetical background and the potential of chirospecific analysis of lactones for authentication and quality evaluation of fresh pineapple fruits are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Highly Functionalised Cyclopentanes by Radical Cyclisation of Unsaturated Bromolactones III. Preparation of Carbaaldohexofuranoses. - Determination of the Relative Configuration at C-4/C-5 of 2,3-Unsaturated heptono-1,4-lactones by Means of 1-H NMR Spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundt, Inge; Horneman, Anne Marie

    1999-01-01

    Two new carbaaldohexofuranoses, carba--D-glucofuranose and carba--L-mannofuranose have been prepared using 5,6-O-isopropylidene-D-glycero-L-galacto-heptono-1,4-lactone (6) as the starting material. The key step was a highly stereoselective intramolecular 5-exo-trig radical cyclisation of C-2......-substituted 2,3-unsaturated 7-bromo-7-deoxy-heptono-1,4-lactones promoted by tributyltin hydride. Assignment of the configuration of the unsaturated lactones was based upon NMR data of related compounds. The starting material, compound 6, was obtained by chain elongation of D-gulose, and a facile method...

  17. Lethal and sub-lethal effects of select macrocyclic lactones insecticides on forager worker honey bees under laboratory experimental conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdu-Allah, Gamal A M; Pittendrigh, Barry R

    2018-01-01

    Selective insecticide application is one important strategy for more precisely targeting harmful insects while avoiding or mitigating collateral damage to beneficial insects like honey bees. Recently, macrocyclic lactone-class insecticides have been introduced into the market place as selective bio-insecticides for controlling many arthropod pests, but how to target this selectivity only to harmful insects has yet to be achieved. In this study, the authors investigated the acute toxicity of fourmacrocyclic lactone insecticides (commercialized as abamectin, emamectin benzoate, spinetoram, and spinosad) both topically and through feeding studies with adult forager honey bees. Results indicated emamectin benzoate as topically 133.3, 750.0, and 38.3-fold and orally 3.3, 7.6, and 31.7-fold more toxic, respectively than abamectin, spinetoram and spinosad. Using Hazard Quotients for estimates of field toxicity, abamectin was measured as the safest insecticide both topically and orally for honey bees. Moreover, a significant reduction of sugar solution consumption by treatment group honey bees for orally applied emamectin benzoate and spinetoram suggests that these insecticides may have repellent properties.

  18. Synthesis and antifungal activity of halogenated aromatic bis-γ-lactones analogous to avenaciolide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro A. Castelo-Branco

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Here we describe the total syntheses and characterization by elemental analyses, infrared and NMR spectroscopy of three new compounds analogous to avenaciolide, a bis-γ-lactone isolated from Aspergillus avenaceus that possesses antifungal activity, where the octyl group of the natural product was replaced by aromatic groups containing chlorine and fluorine atoms. The effects of the avenaciolide, the novel compounds and their synthetic precursors on mycelia development and conidia germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Fusarium solani were evaluated in vitro. The title compounds were almost as active as avenaciolide. The absolute structures of the chlorinated analogs were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.

  19. Effects of colonization, luminescence, and autoinducer on host transcription during development of the squid-vibrio association.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chun, Carlene K; Troll, Joshua V; Koroleva, Irina; Brown, Bartley; Manzella, Liliana; Snir, Einat; Almabrazi, Hakeem; Scheetz, Todd E; Bonaldo, Maria de Fatima; Casavant, Thomas L; Soares, M Bento; Ruby, Edward G; McFall-Ngai, Margaret J

    2008-08-12

    The light-organ symbiosis between the squid Euprymna scolopes and the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri offers the opportunity to decipher the hour-by-hour events that occur during the natural colonization of an animal's epithelial surface by its microbial partners. To determine the genetic basis of these events, a glass-slide microarray was used to characterize the light-organ transcriptome of juvenile squid in response to the initiation of symbiosis. Patterns of gene expression were compared between animals not exposed to the symbiont, exposed to the wild-type symbiont, or exposed to a mutant symbiont defective in either of two key characters of this association: bacterial luminescence or autoinducer (AI) production. Hundreds of genes were differentially regulated as a result of symbiosis initiation, and a hierarchy existed in the magnitude of the host's response to three symbiont features: bacterial presence > luminescence > AI production. Putative host receptors for bacterial surface molecules known to induce squid development are up-regulated by symbiont light production, suggesting that bioluminescence plays a key role in preparing the host for bacteria-induced development. Further, because the transcriptional response of tissues exposed to AI in the natural context (i.e., with the symbionts) differed from that to AI alone, the presence of the bacteria potentiates the role of quorum signals in symbiosis. Comparison of these microarray data with those from other symbioses, such as germ-free/conventionalized mice and zebrafish, revealed a set of shared genes that may represent a core set of ancient host responses conserved throughout animal evolution.

  20. Reductive decarboxylation of bicyclic prolinic systems: a new approach to the enantioselective synthesis of the Geissman-Waiss lactone. X-ray structure determination of a key lactone intermediate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ambrósio João Carlos L.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Two concise and enantioselective syntheses of the necine base precursors (1R,5R-N-Cbz and N-Boc-2-oxa-6-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-ones (Geissman-Waiss lactones were carried out from two enantiomerically pure endocyclic five-membered enecarbamates with overall yields of 23% and 26%, respectively. The synthetic strategy made use of a highly effective and stereoselective [2+2]cycloaddition of enantiomerically pure endocyclic enecarbamates with dichloroketene, as well as an efficient decarboxylation step of a bicyclic alpha-amino acid employing Boger's acyl selenide protocol employing tributyltin hydride. Interesting aspects concerning the regiochemical outcome of Baeyer-Villiger oxidations of bicyclic cyclobutanones are also reported, in which the usual stereoelectronic bias of Baeyer-Villiger oxidation seems to be counterbalanced by steric effects on the putative Criegee intermediate.

  1. 7-epi-griffonilide, a new lactone from Bauhinia pentandra: complete 1H and 13C chemical shift assignments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Macia C S DE; Souza, Luciana G S; Ferreira, Daniele A; Pinto, Francisco C L; Oliveira, Débora R DE; Santiago, Gilvandete M P; Monte, Francisco J Q; Braz-Filho, Raimundo; Lemos, Telma L G DE

    2017-01-01

    A new lactone, 7-epi-griffonilide (1), and six known compounds, 2, 3a - 3c, 4a and 4b, were isolated from the leaves of Bauhinia pentandra (Fabaceae). The structures elucidation of 1 and 2 were based on detailed 2D NMR techniques and spectral comparison with related compounds, leading to complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra.

  2. Quantum Nanobiology and Biophysical Chemistry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2013-01-01

    An introduction was provided in the first issue by way of an Editorial to this special two issue volume of Current Physical Chemistry – “Quantum Nanobiology and Biophysical Chemistry” [1]. The Guest Editors would like to thank all the authors and referees who have contributed to this second issue....... Wu et al. use density functional theory to explore the use of Ni/Fe bimetallic nanotechnology in the bioremediation of decabromo-diphenyl esters. Araújo-Chaves et al. explore the binding and reactivity of Mn(III) porphyrins in the membrane mimetic setting of model liposomal systems. Claussen et al....... demonstrate extremely low detection performance of acyl-homoserine lactone in a biologically relevant system using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Sugihara and Bondar evaluate the influence of methyl-groups and the protein environment on retinal geometries in rhodopsin and bacteriorhodopsin, two...

  3. HSL Attenuates the Follicular Oxidative Stress and Enhances the Hair Growth in ob/ob Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takeo Minematsu, PhD

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Summary: We demonstrated enhanced hair regeneration following topical administration of N-(3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (HSL in ob/ob mice. The ob/ob mice showed delayed hair regeneration (more than 6 wk after depilation, which rapidly induced transition to anagen in the hair cycle in wild-type mice. Vehicle and HSL solutions were applied to the depilated dorsal skin of ob/ob mice. The depilated skin of the HSL-treated mice was fully covered with hair, whereas no macroscopic alteration was observed in vehicle-treated group by the fourth week after depilation. Oxidative stress was drastically decreased and the expression of the antioxidative enzymes PON1 and PON3 was increased in the HSL-treated skin with highly proliferative anagen follicles. These results suggest that HSL is a candidate therapeutic agent for alopecia in metabolic syndrome.

  4. Pichia pastoris Mut(S) strains are prone to misincorporation of O-methyl-L-homoserine at methionine residues when methanol is used as the sole carbon source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schotte, Peter; Dewerte, Isabelle; De Groeve, Manu; De Keyser, Saskia; De Brabandere, Veronique; Stanssens, Patrick

    2016-06-07

    Over the last few decades the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris has become a popular host for a wide range of products such as vaccines and therapeutic proteins. Several P. pastoris engineered strains and mutants have been developed to improve the performance of the expression system. Yield and quality of a recombinant product are important parameters to monitor during the host selection and development process but little information is published regarding quality differences of a product produced by different P. pastoris strains. We compared titer and quality of several Nanobodies(®) produced in wild type and Mut(S) strains. Titer in fed-batch fermentation was comparable between all strains for each Nanobody but a significant difference in quality was observed. Nanobodies expressed in Mut(S) strains contained a product variant with a Δ-16 Da mass difference that was not observed in wild type strains. This variant showed substitution of methionine residues due to misincorporation of O-methyl-L-homoserine, also called methoxine. Methoxine is likely synthesized by the enzymatic action of O-acetyl homoserine sulfhydrylase and we confirmed that Nanobodies produced in the corresponding knock-out strain contained no methoxine variants. We could show the incorporation of methoxine during biosynthesis by its addition to the culture medium. We showed that misincorporation of methoxine occurs particularly in P. pastoris Mut(S) strains. This reduction in product quality could outweigh the advantages of using Mut strains, such as lower oxygen and methanol demand, heat formation and in some cases improved expression. Methoxine incorporation in recombinant proteins is likely to occur when an excess of methanol is present during fermentation but can be avoided when the methanol feed rate protocol is carefully designed.

  5. Characterisation of two quorum sensing systems in the endophytic Serratia plymuthica strain G3: differential control of motility and biofilm formation according to life-style.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiaoguang; Jia, Jinli; Popat, Roman; Ortori, Catherine A; Li, Jun; Diggle, Stephen P; Gao, Kexiang; Cámara, Miguel

    2011-02-01

    N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS) systems have been described in many plant-associated Gram-negative bacteria to control certain beneficial phenotypic traits, such as production of biocontrol factors and plant growth promotion. However, the role of AHL-mediated signalling in the endophytic strains of plant-associated Serratia is still poorly understood. An endophytic Serratia sp. G3 with biocontrol potential and high levels of AHL signal production was isolated from the stems of wheat and the role of QS in this isolate was determined. Strain G3 classified as Serratia plymuthica based on 16S rRNA was subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Using primers to conserved sequences of luxIR homologues from the Serratia genus, splIR and spsIR from the chromosome of strain G3 were cloned and sequenced. AHL profiles from strain G3 and Escherichia coli DH5α expressing splI or spsI from recombinant plasmids were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This revealed that the most abundant AHL signals produced by SplI in E. coli were N-3-oxo-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL), N-3-oxo-heptanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C7-HSL), N-3-hydroxy-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL), N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (C6-HSL), and N-heptanoyl homoserine lactone (C7-HSL); whereas SpsI was primarily responsible for the synthesis of N-butyrylhomoserine lactone (C4-HSL) and N-pentanoylhomoserine lactone (C5-HSL). Furthermore, a quorum quenching analysis by heterologous expression of the Bacillus A24 AiiA lactonase in strain G3 enabled the identification of the AHL-regulated biocontrol-related traits. Depletion of AHLs with this lactonase resulted in altered adhesion and biofilm formation using a microtiter plate assay and flow cells coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy respectively. This was different from the closely related S. plymuthica strains HRO-C48 and RVH1, where biofilm formation for both strains is AHL

  6. Characterisation of two quorum sensing systems in the endophytic Serratia plymuthica strain G3: differential control of motility and biofilm formation according to life-style

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Jun

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL-based quorum sensing (QS systems have been described in many plant-associated Gram-negative bacteria to control certain beneficial phenotypic traits, such as production of biocontrol factors and plant growth promotion. However, the role of AHL-mediated signalling in the endophytic strains of plant-associated Serratia is still poorly understood. An endophytic Serratia sp. G3 with biocontrol potential and high levels of AHL signal production was isolated from the stems of wheat and the role of QS in this isolate was determined. Results Strain G3 classified as Serratia plymuthica based on 16S rRNA was subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Using primers to conserved sequences of luxIR homologues from the Serratia genus, splIR and spsIR from the chromosome of strain G3 were cloned and sequenced. AHL profiles from strain G3 and Escherichia coli DH5α expressing splI or spsI from recombinant plasmids were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This revealed that the most abundant AHL signals produced by SplI in E. coli were N-3-oxo-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL, N-3-oxo-heptanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C7-HSL, N-3-hydroxy-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL, N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (C6-HSL, and N-heptanoyl homoserine lactone (C7-HSL; whereas SpsI was primarily responsible for the synthesis of N-butyrylhomoserine lactone (C4-HSL and N-pentanoylhomoserine lactone (C5-HSL. Furthermore, a quorum quenching analysis by heterologous expression of the Bacillus A24 AiiA lactonase in strain G3 enabled the identification of the AHL-regulated biocontrol-related traits. Depletion of AHLs with this lactonase resulted in altered adhesion and biofilm formation using a microtiter plate assay and flow cells coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy respectively. This was different from the closely related S. plymuthica strains HRO-C48 and RVH1, where biofilm formation

  7. Sesquiterpene lactone containing extracts from two cultivars of forage chicory (Cichorium intybus) show distinctive chemical profiles and in vitro activity against Ostertagia ostertagi

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pena-Espinoza, Miguel Angel; Boas, Ulrik; Williams, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated direct anthelmintic effects of sesquiterpene lactones (SL)-containing extracts from forage chicory against free-living and parasitic stages of Ostertagia ostertagi. Freeze-dried leaves from chicory cultivars ‘Spadona’ and ‘Puna II’ were extracted using methanol/water. Total...

  8. Loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and caspase-9 activation during apoptosis induced by the novel styryl-lactone goniothalamin in HL-60 leukemia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inayat-Hussain, S H; Annuar, B O; Din, L B; Ali, A M; Ross, D

    2003-08-01

    Styryl-lactones such as goniothalamin represent a new class of compounds with potential anti-cancer properties. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of goniothalamin (GTN), a plant styryl-lactone induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. This plant extract resulted in apoptosis in HL-60 cells as assessed by the externalisation of phosphatidylserine. Using the mitochondrial membrane dye (DIOC(6)) in conjunction with flow cytometry, we found that GTN treated HL-60 cells demonstrated a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsi(m)). Further immunoblotting on these cells showed activation of initiator caspase-9 and the executioner caspases-3 and -7. Pretreatment with the pharmacological caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp fluoromethyl ketone (Z-VAD.FMK) abrogated apoptosis as assessed by all of the apoptotic features in this study. In summary, our results demonstrate that goniothalamin-induced apoptosis occurs via the mitochondrial pathway in a caspase dependent manner.

  9. 7-epi-griffonilide, a new lactone from Bauhinia pentandra: complete "1H and "1"3C chemical shift assignments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida, Macia C.S. de; Souza, Luciana G.S.; Ferreira, Daniele A.; Pinto, Francisco C.L.; Santiago, Gilvandete M.P.; Monte, Francisco J.Q.; Lemos, Telma L.G.; Oliveira, Debora R. de; Braz-Filho, Raimundo

    2017-01-01

    A new lactone, 7-epi-griffonilide (1), and six known compounds, 2, 3a - 3c, 4a and 4b, were isolated from the leaves of Bauhinia pentandra (Fabaceae). The structures elucidation of 1 and 2 were based on detailed 2D NMR techniques and spectral comparison with related compounds, leading to complete assignment of the "1H and "1"3C NMR spectra. (author)

  10. Methylobacterium-plant interaction genes regulated by plant exudate and quorum sensing molecules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuella Nóbrega Dourado

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria from the genus Methylobacterium interact symbiotically (endophytically and epiphytically with different plant species. These interactions can promote plant growth or induce systemic resistance, increasing plant fitness. The plant colonization is guided by molecular communication between bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-plants, where the bacteria recognize specific exuded compounds by other bacteria (e.g. homoserine molecules and/or by the plant roots (e.g. flavonoids, ethanol and methanol, respectively. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of quorum sensing molecules (N-acyl-homoserine lactones and plant exudates (including ethanol in the expression of a series of bacterial genes involved in Methylobacterium-plant interaction. The selected genes are related to bacterial metabolism (mxaF, adaptation to stressful environment (crtI, phoU and sss, to interactions with plant metabolism compounds (acdS and pathogenicity (patatin and phoU. Under in vitro conditions, our results showed the differential expression of some important genes related to metabolism, stress and pathogenesis, thereby AHL molecules up-regulate all tested genes, except phoU, while plant exudates induce only mxaF gene expression. In the presence of plant exudates there is a lower bacterial density (due the endophytic and epiphytic colonization, which produce less AHL, leading to down regulation of genes when compared to the control. Therefore, bacterial density, more than plant exudate, influences the expression of genes related to plant-bacteria interaction.

  11. Streptococcus gordonii LuxS/autoinducer-2 quorum-sensing system modulates the dual-species biofilm formation with Streptococcus mutans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao; Li, Xiaolan; Ling, Junqi

    2017-07-01

    Dental plaques are mixed-species biofilms that are related to the development of dental caries. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is an important cariogenic bacterium that forms mixed-species biofilms with Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii), an early colonizer of the tooth surface. The LuxS/autoinducer-2(AI-2) quorum sensing system is involved in the regulation of mixed-species biofilms, and AI-2 is proposed as a universal signal for the interaction between bacterial species. In this work, a S. gordonii luxS deficient strain was constructed to investigate the effect of the S. gordonii luxS gene on dual-species biofilm formed by S. mutans and S. gordonii. In addition, AI-2 was synthesized in vitro by incubating recombinant LuxS and Pfs enzymes of S. gordonii together. The effect of AI-2 on S. mutans single-species biofilm formation and cariogenic virulence gene expression were also assessed. The results showed that luxS disruption in S. gordonii altered dual-species biofilm formation, architecture, and composition, as well as the susceptibility to chlorhexidine. And the in vitro synthesized AI-2 had a concentration-dependent effect on S. mutans biofilm formation and virulence gene expression. These findings indicate that LuxS/AI-2 quorum-sensing system of S. gordonii plays a role in regulating the dual-species biofilm formation with S. mutans. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. The human bitter taste receptor T2R38 is broadly tuned for bacterial compounds.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christophe Verbeurgt

    Full Text Available T2R38 has been shown to be a specific bacterial detector implicated in innate immune defense mechanism of human upper airway. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that this receptor is associated with the development of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS. T2R38 was previously reported to bind to homoserine lactones (HSL, quorum sensing molecules specific of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and other gram negative species. Nevertheless, these bacteria are not the major pathogens found in CRS. Here we report on the identification of bacterial metabolites acting as new agonists of T2R38 based on a single cell calcium imaging study. Two quorum sensing molecules (Agr D1 thiolactone from Staphylococcus Aureus and CSP-1 from Streptococcus Pneumoniae and a list of 32 bacterial metabolites from pathogens frequently implicated in CRS were tested. First, we observed that HSL failed to activate T2R38 in our experimental system, but that the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO, used as a solvent for these lactones may, by itself, account for the agonistic effect previously described. Secondly, we showed that both Agr D1 thiolactone and CSP-1 are inactive but that at least 7 bacterial metabolites (acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-methylpropanal, dimethyl disulfide, methylmercaptan, γ-butyrolactone are able to specifically trigger this receptor. T2R38 is thus much more broadly tuned for bacterial compounds than previously thought.

  13. Antimicrobial properties of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana: a focus on drug resistance with particular reference to quorum sensing-mediated bacterial biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Ratul; Mondal, Chaitali; Bera, Rammohan; Chakraborty, Sumon; Barik, Rajib; Roy, Paramita; Kumar, Alekh; Yadav, Kirendra K; Choudhury, Jayanta; Chaudhary, Sushil K; Samanta, Samir K; Karmakar, Sanmoy; Das, Satadal; Mukherjee, Pulok K; Mukherjee, Joydeep; Sen, Tuhinadri

    2015-07-01

    This study attempts to investigate the antimicrobial properties of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana with a particular reference to quorum sensing (QS)-mediated biofilm formation. The methanol extract of K. blossfeldiana leaves (MEKB) was evaluated for antimicrobial properties including QS-controlled production of biofilm (including virulence factor, motility and lactone formation) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methanol extract of K. blossfeldiana was also evaluated for anti-cytokine (tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 beta) properties in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Methanol extract of K. blossfeldiana exhibited antimicrobial effect on clinical isolates, as well as standard reference strains. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exposed to MEKB (subminimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)) displayed reduced biofilm formation, whereas supra-MIC produced destruction of preformed biofilms. Methanol extract of K. blossfeldiana reduced the secretion of virulence factors (protease and pyoverdin) along with generation of acyl homoserine lactone (AHL). Confocal laser scanning microscopy images indicate reduction of biofilm thickness. The extract also reduced cytokine formation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated PBMC. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana was found to interfere with AHL production, which in turn may be responsible for downregulating QS-mediated production of biofilm and virulence. This first report on the antibiofilm and anticytokine properties of this plant may open up new vistas for future exploration of this plant for combating biofilm-related resistant infections. © 2015 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  14. Potent anti-inflammatory activity of sesquiterpene lactones from Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br. ex Cass., a Q'eqchi' Maya traditional medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walshe-Roussel, Brendan; Choueiri, Christine; Saleem, Ammar; Asim, Muhammd; Caal, Federico; Cal, Victor; Rojas, Marco Otarola; Pesek, Todd; Durst, Tony; Arnason, John Thor

    2013-08-01

    The widespread use of Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br. ex Cass. by Q'eqchi' Maya and indigenous healers throughout the Caribbean for inflammatory conditions prompted the study of the anti-inflammatory activity of this traditional medicine. The objectives of this study were to conduct a detailed ethnobotanical investigation of the uses of N. lobata by the Q'eqchi' Maya of Belize for a variety of inflammatory symptoms and to evaluate the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of leaf extract and isolated sesquiterpene lactones. The crude 80% EtOH extract of N. lobata leaves administered at 100 μg/mL reduced LPS-stimulated TNF-α production in THP-1 monocytes by 72% relative to the stimulated vehicle control. Isolated sesquiterpene lactones, neurolenins B, C+D, lobatin B and 9α-hydroxy-8β-isovalerianyloxy-calyculatolide were more active (IC50=0.17-2.32 μM) than the positive control parthenolide (IC50=4.79 μM). The results provide a pharmacological and phytochemical basis for the traditional use of this leaf for inflammatory conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. PimT, an amino acid exporter controls polyene production via secretion of the quorum sensing pimaricin-inducer PI-factor in Streptomyces natalensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guerra Susana M

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Polyenes represent a major class of antifungal agents characterised by the presence of a series of conjugated double bonds in their planar hydroxylated macrolide ring structure. Despite their general interest, very little is known about the factors that modulate their biosynthesis. Among these factors, we have recently discovered a new inducing compound (PI-factor in the pimaricin producer Streptomyces natalensis, which elicits polyene production in a manner characteristic of quorum sensing. Here, we describe the involvement of an amino-acid exporter from S. natalensis in modulating the expression of pimaricin biosynthetic genes via secretion of the quorum-sensing pimaricin-inducer PI-factor. Results Adjacent to the pimaricin gene cluster lies a member of the RhtB family of amino-acid exporters. Gene deletion and complementation experiments provided evidence for a role for PimT in the export of L-homoserine, L-serine, and L-homoserine lactone. Expression of the gene was shown to be induced by homoserine and by the quorum-sensing pimaricin-inducer PI-factor. Interestingly, the mutant displayed 65% loss of pimaricin production, and also 50% decrease in the production of PI, indicating that PimT is used as PI-factor exporter, and suggesting that the effect in antifungal production might be due to limited secretion of the inducer. Conclusion This report describes the involvement of an amino acid exporter (encoded by pimT in the vicinity of the pimaricin cluster in modulating the expression of antibiotic biosynthetic genes via secretion of the quorum-sensing pimaricin-inducer PI-factor. The discovery of the participation of amino acid exporters in a signal transduction cascade for the production of polyene macrolides is unexpected, and represents an important step forward towards understanding the regulatory network for polyene regulation. Additionally, this finding constitutes the first detailed characterization of an amino

  16. Attenuation of Vibrio fischeri quorum sensing using rationally designed polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piletska, Elena V; Stavroulakis, Georgios; Karim, Kal; Whitcombe, Michael J; Chianella, Iva; Sharma, Anant; Eboigbodin, Kevin E; Robinson, Gary K; Piletsky, Sergey A

    2010-04-12

    A first attempt to attenuate the quorum sensing (QS) of a marine heterotroph microorganism, Vibrio fischeri , using signal molecule-sequestering polymers (SSPs) is presented. A set of rationally designed polymers with affinity toward a signal molecule of V. fischeri , N-(beta-ketocaproyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-AHL) was produced. It is reported that computationally designed polymers could sequester a signal molecule of V. fischeri and prevent QS-controlled phenotypes (in this case, bioluminescence) from being up-regulated. It was proven that the attenuation of bioluminescence of V. fischeri was due to sequestration of the signal molecule by specific polymers and not due to the toxicity of polymer or nonspecific depletion of nutrients. The ability to disrupt the bacterial communication using easy to synthesize and chemically inert polymers could provide a new concept for the development of pharmaceuticals and susceptible device coatings such as catheters.

  17. Quorum quenching properties of Actinobacteria isolated from Malaysian tropical soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devaraj, Kavimalar; Tan, Geok Yuan Annie; Chan, Kok-Gan

    2017-08-01

    In this study, a total of 147 soil actinobacterial strains were screened for their ability to inhibit response of Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 to short chain N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) which is a quorum sensing molecule. Of these, three actinobacterial strains showed positive for violacein inhibition. We further tested these strains for the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 quorum sensing-regulated phenotypes, namely, swarming and pyocyanin production. The three strains were found to inhibit at least one of the quorum sensing-regulated phenotypes of PAO1. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these strains belong to the genera Micromonospora, Rhodococcus and Streptomyces. This is the first report presenting quorum quenching activity by a species of the genus Micromonospora. Our data suggest that Actinobacteria may be a rich source of active compounds that can act against bacterial quorum sensing system.

  18. 7-epi-griffonilide, a new lactone from Bauhinia pentandra: complete {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C chemical shift assignments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, Macia C.S. de; Souza, Luciana G.S.; Ferreira, Daniele A.; Pinto, Francisco C.L.; Santiago, Gilvandete M.P.; Monte, Francisco J.Q.; Lemos, Telma L.G., E-mail: fmonte@dqoi.ufc.br [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil); Oliveira, Debora R. de; Braz-Filho, Raimundo [Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Quimica

    2017-09-01

    A new lactone, 7-epi-griffonilide (1), and six known compounds, 2, 3a - 3c, 4a and 4b, were isolated from the leaves of Bauhinia pentandra (Fabaceae). The structures elucidation of 1 and 2 were based on detailed 2D NMR techniques and spectral comparison with related compounds, leading to complete assignment of the {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C NMR spectra. (author)

  19. Mapping Stress-Induced Changes in Autoinducer AI-2 Production in Chemostat-Cultivated Escherichia coli K-12

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLisa, Matthew P.; Valdes, James J.; Bentley, William E.

    2001-01-01

    Numerous gram-negative bacteria employ a cell-to-cell signaling mechanism, termed quorum sensing, for controlling gene expression in response to population density. Recently, this phenomenon has been discovered in Escherichia coli, and while pathogenic E. coli utilize quorum sensing to regulate pathogenesis (i.e., expression of virulence genes), the role of quorum sensing in nonpathogenic E. coli is less clear, and in particular, there is no information regarding the role of quorum sensing during the overexpression of recombinant proteins. The production of autoinducer AI-2, a signaling molecule employed by E. coli for intercellular communication, was studied in E. coli W3110 chemostat cultures using a Vibrio harveyi AI-2 reporter assay (M. G. Surrette and B. L. Bassler, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:7046–7050, 1998). Chemostat cultures enabled a study of AI-2 regulation through steady-state and transient responses to a variety of environmental stimuli. Results demonstrated that AI-2 levels increased with the steady-state culture growth rate. In addition, AI-2 increased following pulsed addition of glucose, Fe(III), NaCl, and dithiothreitol and decreased following aerobiosis, amino acid starvation, and isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside-induced expression of human interleukin-2 (hIL-2). In general, the AI-2 responses to several perturbations were indicative of a shift in metabolic activity or state of the cells induced by the individual stress. Because of our interest in the expression of heterologous proteins in E. coli, the transcription of four quorum-regulated genes and 20 stress genes was mapped during the transient response to induced expression of hIL-2. Significant regulatory overlap was revealed among several stress and starvation genes and known quorum-sensing genes. PMID:11292813

  20. Effect of salinity and incubation time of planktonic cells on biofilm formation, motility, exoprotease production, and quorum sensing of Aeromonas hydrophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahid, Iqbal Kabir; Mizan, Md Furkanur Rahaman; Ha, Angela J; Ha, Sang-Do

    2015-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of salinity and age of cultures on quorum sensing, exoprotease production, and biofilm formation by Aeromonas hydrophila on stainless steel (SS) and crab shell as substrates. Biofilm formation was assessed at various salinities, from fresh (0%) to saline water (3.0%). For young and old cultures, planktonic cells were grown at 30 °C for 24 h and 96 h, respectively. Biofilm formation was assessed on SS, glass, and crab shell; viable counts were determined in R2A agar for SS and glass, but Aeromonas-selective media was used for crab shell samples to eliminate bacterial contamination. Exoprotease activity was assessed using a Fluoro™ protease assay kit. Quantification of acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) was performed using the bioreporter strain Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and the concentration was confirmed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The concentration of autoinducer-2 (AI-2) was determined with Vibrio harveyi BB170. The biofilm structure at various salinities (0-3 %) was assessed using field emission electron microscopy (FESEM). Young cultures of A. hydrophila grown at 0-0.25% salinity showed gradual increasing of biofilm formation on SS, glass and crab shell; swarming and swimming motility; exoproteases production, AHL and AI-2 quorum sensing; while all these phenotypic characters reduced from 0.5 to 3.0% salinity. The FESEM images also showed that from 0 to 0.25% salinity stimulated formation of three-dimensional biofilm structures that also broke through the surface by utilizing the chitin surfaces of crab, while 3% salinity stimulated attachment only for young cultures. However, in marked contrast, salinity (0.1-3%) had no effect on the stimulation of biofilm formation or on phenotypic characters for old cultures. However, all concentrations reduced biofilm formation, motility, protease production and quorum sensing for old culture. Overall, 0-0.25% salinity enhanced biofilm formation

  1. A novel lactone-forming carboxylesterase: molecular identification of a tuliposide A-converting enzyme in tulip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Taiji; Ogita, Shinjiro; Kato, Yasuo

    2012-06-01

    Tuliposides, the glucose esters of 4-hydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate and 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate, are major secondary metabolites in tulip (Tulipa gesneriana). Their lactonized aglycons, tulipalins, function as defensive chemicals due to their biological activities. We recently found that tuliposide-converting enzyme (TCE) purified from tulip bulbs catalyzed the conversion of tuliposides to tulipalins, but the possibility of the presence of several TCE isozymes was raised: TCE in tissues other than bulbs is different from bulb TCE. Here, to prove this hypothesis, TCE was purified from petals, which have the second highest TCE activity after bulbs. The purified enzyme, like the bulb enzyme, preferentially accepted tuliposides as substrates, with 6-tuliposide A the best substrate, which allowed naming the enzyme tuliposide A-converting enzyme (TCEA), but specific activity and molecular mass differed between the petal and bulb enzymes. After peptide sequencing, a novel cDNA (TgTCEA) encoding petal TCEA was isolated, and the functional characterization of the recombinant enzyme verified that TgTCEA catalyzes the conversion of 6-tuliposide A to tulipalin A. TgTCEA was transcribed in all tulip tissues but not in bulbs, indicating the presence of a bulb-specific TgTCEA, as suggested by the distinct enzymatic characters between the petal and bulb enzymes. Plastidial localization of TgTCEA enzyme was revealed, which allowed proposing a cytological mechanism of TgTCE-mediated tulipalin formation in the tulip defensive strategy. Site-directed mutagenesis of TgTCEA suggested that the oxyanion hole and catalytic triad characteristic of typical carboxylesterases are essential for the catalytic process of TgTCEA enzyme. To our knowledge, TgTCEA is the first identified member of the lactone-forming carboxylesterases, specifically catalyzing intramolecular transesterification.

  2. [Formation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilms in the presence of hydrogen peroxide; the effect of the AiiA gene].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pliuta, V A; Andreenko, Iu V; Kuznetsov, A E; Khmel', I A

    2013-01-01

    In the natural ecosystems, most bacteria exist as specifically organized biofilms attached to various surfaces; the biofilms have a complex architecture and are surrounded by an exopolymeric matrix. The bacteria in the biofilms are extremely resistant to antibacterial agents. The ability of the pathogenic bacteria to produce biofilms causes serious problems in medicine. Therefore, the study of the action of different compounds with antibacterial activity is of great interest. In this work, we studied the effect of the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the formation of biofilms by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. It was shown that H2O2 in concentrations that do not suppress bacterial growth (or suppress it only weakly) stimulates the formation of the biofilms. At higher concentrations, H2O2 inhibits the formation of the biofilms. In order to determine if the stimulation of the biofilm formation depends on Quorum Sensing (QS) regulation, the plasmid pME6863 containing the heterologous gene aiiA encoding the N-acyl-homoserine lactonase AiiA was introduced into P. aeruginosa PAO1. The synthesis by cells of this enzyme degrading N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL), signaling molecules of the QS systems, led to the absence of the stimulation of the biofilm formation by the action of H2O2. This fact indicates that the stimulation of the biofilm formation in the presence of H2O2 depends on the functioning of the QS systems of the gene expression regulation of P. aeruginosa PAO1.

  3. Possible Correlation Between Bile Salt Hydrolysis and AHL Deamidation: Staphylococcus epidermidis RM1, a Potent Quorum Quencher and Bile Salt Hydrolase Producer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherji, Ruchira; Prabhune, Asmita

    2015-05-01

    The aim of the present work was to isolate a bile salt hydrolase (BSH) producer from fermented soy curd and explore the ability of the BSH produced to cleave bacterial quorum sensing signals. Bacterial isolates with possible ability to deconjugate bile salts were enriched and isolated on De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) medium containing 0.2% bile salts. BSH-producing positive isolate with orange-pink-pigmented colonies was isolated and was identified as a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis using biochemical and phylogenetic tools. S. epidermidis RM1 was shown to possess both potent BSH and N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) cleavage activity. Genetic basis of this dual-enzyme activity was explored by means of specific primers designed using S. epidermidis ATCC 12228 genome as template. It was observed that a single enzyme was not responsible for both the activity. Two different genetic elements corresponding to each of the enzymatic activity were successfully amplified from the genomic DNA of the isolate.

  4. (S-2-Oxotetrahydrofuran-3-aminium bromideCAS 15295-77-9.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jace D. Sandifer

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In the title HBr salt of (S-homoserine lactone, C4H8NO2+·Br−, the five-membered ring has an envelope conformation, with the –CH2– C atom adjacent to the N-substituted C atom at the flap position. The four-atom mean plane (r.m.s. deviation = 0.005 Å of the envelope forms a dihedral angle of 32.12 (9° with the three-atom flap plane. The distorted square-pyramidal coordination about the anion involves five surrounding cations, with the square base defined by three N—H...Br hydrogen bonds [Br...N = 3.3046 (10, 3.3407 (12 and 3.3644 (13 Å] and near-contact with an H atom attached to C [Br...C = 3.739 (1 Å]. Another Br...C contact of 3.427 (1 Å defines the apex. There is also an N—H...O hydrogen bond present linking the cations.

  5. Augmenting Plant Immune Responses and Biological Control by Microbial Determinants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sang Moo Lee

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Plant have developed sophisticated defence mechanisms against microbial pathogens. The recent accumulated information allow us to understand the nature of plant immune responses followed by recognition of microbial factors/determinants through cutting-edge genomics and multi-omics techniques. However, the practical approaches to sustain plant health using enhancement of plant immunity is yet to be fully appreciated. Here, we overviewed the general concept and representative examples on the plant immunity. The fungal, bacterial, and viral determinants that was previously reported as the triggers of plant immune responses are introduced and described as the potential protocol of biological control. Specifically, the role of chitin, glucan, lipopolysaccharides/extracellular polysaccharides, microbe/pathogen-associated molecular pattern, antibiotics, mimic-phytohormones, N-acyl homoserine lactone, harpin, vitamins, and volatile organic compounds are considered. We hope that this review stimulates scientific community and farmers to broaden their knowledge on the microbial determinant-based biological control and to apply the technology on the integrated pest management program.

  6. ExpI and PhzI are descendants of the long lost cognate signal synthase for SdiA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anice Sabag-Daigle

    Full Text Available SdiA of E. coli and Salmonella is a LuxR homolog that detects N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. Most LuxR homologs function together with a cognate AHL synthase (a LuxI homolog, but SdiA does not. Instead, SdiA detects AHLs produced by other bacterial species. In this report, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of SdiA. The results suggest that one branch of the Enterobacteriaceae obtained a rhlR/rhlI pair by horizontal transfer. The Erwinia and Pantoea branches still contain the complete pair where it is known as expR/expI and phzR/phzI, respectively. A deletion event removed the luxI homolog from the remainder of the group, leaving just the luxR homolog known as sdiA. Thus ExpR and PhzR are SdiA orthologs and ExpI and PhzI are descendants of the long lost cognate signal synthase of SdiA.

  7. Cross-species comparison of the Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and Burkholderia mallei quorum-sensing regulons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majerczyk, Charlotte D; Brittnacher, Mitchell J; Jacobs, Michael A; Armour, Christopher D; Radey, Matthew C; Bunt, Richard; Hayden, Hillary S; Bydalek, Ryland; Greenberg, E Peter

    2014-11-01

    Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and Burkholderia mallei (the Bptm group) are close relatives with very different lifestyles: B. pseudomallei is an opportunistic pathogen, B. thailandensis is a nonpathogenic saprophyte, and B. mallei is a host-restricted pathogen. The acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing (QS) systems of these three species show a high level of conservation. We used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to define the quorum-sensing regulon in each species, and we performed a cross-species analysis of the QS-controlled orthologs. Our analysis revealed a core set of QS-regulated genes in all three species, as well as QS-controlled factors shared by only two species or unique to a given species. This global survey of the QS regulons of B. pseudomallei, B. thailandensis, and B. mallei serves as a platform for predicting which QS-controlled processes might be important in different bacterial niches and contribute to the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei and B. mallei. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  8. The AHL- and BDSF-dependent quorum sensing systems control specific and overlapping sets of genes in Burkholderia cenocepacia H111.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadine Schmid

    Full Text Available Quorum sensing in Burkholderia cenocepacia H111 involves two signalling systems that depend on different signal molecules, namely N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs and the diffusible signal factor cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF. Previous studies have shown that AHLs and BDSF control similar phenotypic traits, including biofilm formation, proteolytic activity and pathogenicity. In this study we mapped the BDSF stimulon by RNA-Seq and shotgun proteomics analysis. We demonstrate that a set of the identified BDSF-regulated genes or proteins are also controlled by AHLs, suggesting that the two regulons partially overlap. The detailed analysis of two mutually regulated operons, one encoding three lectins and the other one encoding the large surface protein BapA and its type I secretion machinery, revealed that both AHLs and BDSF are required for full expression, suggesting that the two signalling systems operate in parallel. In accordance with this, we show that both AHLs and BDSF are required for biofilm formation and protease production.

  9. Cross-Species Comparison of the Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and Burkholderia mallei Quorum-Sensing Regulons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majerczyk, Charlotte D.; Brittnacher, Mitchell J.; Jacobs, Michael A.; Armour, Christopher D.; Radey, Matthew C.; Bunt, Richard; Hayden, Hillary S.; Bydalek, Ryland

    2014-01-01

    Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and Burkholderia mallei (the Bptm group) are close relatives with very different lifestyles: B. pseudomallei is an opportunistic pathogen, B. thailandensis is a nonpathogenic saprophyte, and B. mallei is a host-restricted pathogen. The acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing (QS) systems of these three species show a high level of conservation. We used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to define the quorum-sensing regulon in each species, and we performed a cross-species analysis of the QS-controlled orthologs. Our analysis revealed a core set of QS-regulated genes in all three species, as well as QS-controlled factors shared by only two species or unique to a given species. This global survey of the QS regulons of B. pseudomallei, B. thailandensis, and B. mallei serves as a platform for predicting which QS-controlled processes might be important in different bacterial niches and contribute to the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei and B. mallei. PMID:25182491

  10. Synthesis of 5α-Androstane-17-spiro-δ-lactones with a 3-Keto, 3-Hydroxy, 3-Spirocarbamate or 3-Spiromorpholinone as Inhibitors of 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald Poirier

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We synthesized two series of androstane derivatives as inhibitors of type 3 and type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17β-HSDs. In the first series, four monospiro derivatives at position C17 were prepared from androsterone (ADT or epi-ADT. After the protection of the alcohol at C3, the C17-ketone was alkylated with the lithium acetylide of tetrahydro-2-(but-3-ynyl-2-H-pyran, the triple bond was hydrogenated, the protecting groups hydrolysed and the alcohols oxidized to give the corresponding 3-keto-17-spiro-lactone derivative. The other three compounds were generated from this keto-lactone by reducing the ketone at C3, or by introducing one or two methyl groups. In the second series, two dispiro derivatives at C3 and C17 were prepared from epi-ADT. After introducing a spiro-δ-lactone at C17 and an oxirane at C3, an aminolysis of the oxirane with L-isoleucine methyl ester provided an amino alcohol, which was treated with triphosgene or sodium methylate to afford a carbamate- or a morpholinone-androstane derivative, respectively. These steroid derivatives inhibited 17β-HSD3 (14–88% at 1 μM; 46–94% at 10 μM and 17β-HSD5 (54–73% at 0.3 μM; 91–92% at 3 μM. They did not produce any androgenic activity and did not bind steroid (androgen, estrogen, glucocorticoid and progestin receptors, suggesting a good profile for prostate cancer therapy.

  11. Inactivation of ferric uptake regulator (Fur) attenuates Helicobacter pylori J99 motility by disturbing the flagellar motor switch and autoinducer-2 production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ai-Yun; Kao, Cheng-Yen; Wang, Yao-Kuan; Lin, Ssu-Yuan; Lai, Tze-Ying; Sheu, Bor-Shyang; Lo, Chien-Jung; Wu, Jiunn-Jong

    2017-08-01

    Flagellar motility of Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be important for the bacteria to establish initial colonization. The ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a global regulator that has been identified in H. pylori which is involved in the processes of iron uptake and establishing colonization. However, the role of Fur in H. pylori motility is still unclear. Motility of the wild-type, fur mutant, and fur revertant J99 were determined by a soft-agar motility assay and direct video observation. The bacterial shape and flagellar structure were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Single bacterial motility and flagellar switching were observed by phase-contrast microscopy. Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) production in bacterial culture supernatant was analyzed by a bioluminescence assay. The fur mutant showed impaired motility in the soft-agar assay compared with the wild-type J99 and fur revertant. The numbers and lengths of flagellar filaments on the fur mutant cells were similar to those of the wild-type and revertant cells. Phenotypic characterization showed similar swimming speed but reduction in switching rate in the fur mutant. The AI-2 production of the fur mutant was dramatically reduced compared with wild-type J99 in log-phase culture medium. These results indicate that Fur positively modulates H. pylori J99 motility through interfering with bacterial flagellar switching. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Discovery of germacrene A synthases in Barnadesia spinosa: The first committed step in sesquiterpene lactone biosynthesis in the basal member of the Asteraceae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, Trinh-Don; Faraldos, Juan A.; Vardakou, Maria; Salmon, Melissa; O'Maille, Paul E.; Ro, Dae-Kyun

    2016-01-01

    The Andes-endemic Barnadesioideae lineage is the oldest surviving and phylogenetically basal subfamily of the Asteraceae (Compositae), a prolific group of flowering plants with world-wide distribution (∼24,000 species) marked by a rich diversity of sesquiterpene lactones (STLs). Intriguingly, there is no evidence that members of the Barnadesioideae produce STLs, specialized metabolites thought to have contributed to the adaptive success of the Asteraceae family outside South America. The biosynthesis of STLs requires the intimate expression and functional integration of germacrene A synthase (GAS) and germacrene A oxidase (GAO) to sequentially cyclize and oxidize farnesyl diphosphate into the advanced intermediate germacrene A acid leading to diverse STLs. Our previous discovery of GAO activity conserved across all major subfamilies of Asteraceae, including the phylogenetically basal lineage of Barnadesioideae, prompted further investigation of the presence of the gateway GAS in Barnadesioideae. Herein we isolated two terpene synthases (BsGAS1/BsGAS2) from the basal Barnadesia spinosa (Barnadesioideae) that displayed robust GAS activity when reconstituted in yeast and characterized in vitro. Despite the apparent lack of STLs in the Barnadesioideae, this work unambiguously confirms the presence of GAS in the basal genera of the Asteraceae. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the two BsGASs fall into two distinct clades of the Asteraceae's GASs, and BsGAS1 clade is only retained in the evolutionary closer Cichorioideae subfamily, implicating BsGAS2 is likely the ancestral base of most GASs found in the lineages outside the Barnadesioideae. Taken together, these results show the enzymatic capacities of GAS and GAO emerged prior to the subsequent radiation of STL-producing Asteraceae subfamilies. - Highlights: • Sesquiterpene lactones are characteristic metabolites in Asteraceae family. • Barnadesioideae is the basal lineage of all Asteraceae plants

  13. Octanoyl-Homoserine Lactone Is the Cognate Signal for Burkholderia mallei BmaR1-BmaI1 Quorum Sensing

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Duerkop, Breck A; Ulrich, Ricky L; Greenberg, E. P

    2007-01-01

    .... The obligate animal pathogen Burkholderia mallei produces several acyl-HSLs, and the B. mallei genome has four luxR and two luxI homologs, each of which has been established as a virulence factor...

  14. Transient infrared absorption of t-CH3C(O)OO, c-CH3C(O)OO, and α-lactone recorded in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Sun-Yang; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2010-03-01

    A step-scan Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was utilized to monitor the transient species produced in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2; IR absorption spectra of CH3C(O)OO and α-lactone were observed. Absorption bands with origins at 1851±1, 1372±2, 1169±6, and 1102±3 cm-1 are attributed to t-CH3C(O)OO, and those at 1862±3, 1142±4, and 1078±6 cm-1 are assigned to c-CH3C(O)OO. A weak band near 1960 cm-1 is assigned to α-lactone, cyc-CH2C(O)O, a coproduct of OH. These observed rotational contours agree satisfactorily with simulated bands based on predicted rotational parameters and dipole derivatives, and observed vibrational wavenumbers agree with harmonic vibrational wavenumbers predicted with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ density-functional theory. The observed relative intensities indicate that t-CH3C(O)OO is more stable than c-CH3C(O)OO by 3±2 kJ mol-1. Based on these observations, the branching ratio for the OH+α-lactone channel of the CH3CO+O2 reaction is estimated to be 0.04±0.01 under 100 Torr of O2 at 298 K. A simple kinetic model is employed to account for the decay of CH3C(O)OO.

  15. Transient infrared absorption of t-CH3C(O)OO, c-CH3C(O)OO, and alpha-lactone recorded in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Sun-Yang; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2010-03-21

    A step-scan Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was utilized to monitor the transient species produced in gaseous reactions of CH(3)CO and O(2); IR absorption spectra of CH(3)C(O)OO and alpha-lactone were observed. Absorption bands with origins at 1851+/-1, 1372+/-2, 1169+/-6, and 1102+/-3 cm(-1) are attributed to t-CH(3)C(O)OO, and those at 1862+/-3, 1142+/-4, and 1078+/-6 cm(-1) are assigned to c-CH(3)C(O)OO. A weak band near 1960 cm(-1) is assigned to alpha-lactone, cyc-CH(2)C(=O)O, a coproduct of OH. These observed rotational contours agree satisfactorily with simulated bands based on predicted rotational parameters and dipole derivatives, and observed vibrational wavenumbers agree with harmonic vibrational wavenumbers predicted with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ density-functional theory. The observed relative intensities indicate that t-CH(3)C(O)OO is more stable than c-CH(3)C(O)OO by 3+/-2 kJ mol(-1). Based on these observations, the branching ratio for the OH+alpha-lactone channel of the CH(3)CO+O(2) reaction is estimated to be 0.04+/-0.01 under 100 Torr of O(2) at 298 K. A simple kinetic model is employed to account for the decay of CH(3)C(O)OO.

  16. Dehalogenation Activity of Selected Fungi Toward δ-Iodo-γ-Lactone Derived from trans,trans-Farnesol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gliszczyńska, Anna; Gładkowski, Witold; Świtalska, Marta; Wietrzyk, Joanna; Szumny, Antoni; Gębarowska, Elżbieta; Wawrzeńczyk, Czesław

    2016-04-01

    Time-course of biotransformation of racemic trans-4-((E)-4',8'-dimethylnona-3',7'-dien-1-yl)-5-iodomethyl-4-methyldihydrofuran-2-one (1) in fungal and yeast cultures was investigated. In these conditions, the substrate 1 was enantioselectively dehalogenated yielding 4-((E)-4',8'-dimethylnona-3',7'-dien-1-yl)-4-methyl-5-methylenedihydrofuran-2-one (2) and its structure was established based on the spectroscopic data. The most effective biocatalyst used was Didymosphaeria igniaria, which catalyzed the process with highest rate and enantioselectivity (ee of product = 76%). The antiproliferative activity of δ-iodo-γ-lactone 1, product of its biotransformation 2, and starting substrate (farnesol) were evaluated toward two cancer cell lines: A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia). © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  17. Insights into the structure-activity relationship of the anticancer compound ZJ-101, a derivative of marine natural product superstolide A: A critical role played by the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Shan; Shah, Aashay K; Head, Sarah A; Liu, Jun O; Jin, Zhendong

    2016-08-01

    Compound ZJ-101, a structurally simplified analog of the marine natural product superstolide A, was previously developed in our laboratory. In the subsequent structure-activity relationship study, two new analogs, ZJ-105 and ZJ-106, were designed and synthesized to probe the importance of the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety of the molecule by replacing the C2-C3 double bond in ZJ-101 with a single bond and switching the geometry of the C4-C5 double bond in ZJ-101 from Z to E, respectively. Biological evaluation showed that ZJ-105 completely loses antiproliferative activity whereas ZJ-106 is significantly less active against cancer cells in vitro than ZJ-101, suggesting that the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety of the molecule is critical for its anticancer activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Quantitative Structure ‒ Antiprotozoal Activity Relationships of Sesquiterpene Lactones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reto Brun

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Prompted by results of our previous studies where we found high activity of some sesquiterpene lactones (STLs against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (which causes East African sleeping sickness, we have now conducted a structure-(in-vitro-activity study on a set of 40 STLs against T. brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani and Plasmodium falciparum. Furthermore, cytotoxic activity against L6 rat skeletal myoblast cells was assessed. Some of the compounds possess high activity, especially against T. brucei (e.g. helenalin and some of its esters with IC50-values of 0.05-0.1 µM, which is about 10 times lower than their cytotoxic activity. It was found that all investigated antiprotozoal activities are significantly correlated with cytotoxicity and the major determinants for activity are a,b-unsaturated structural elements, also known to be essential for other biological activities of STLs. It was observed, however, that certain compounds are considerably more toxic against protozoa than against mammalian cells while others are more cytotoxic than active against the protozoa. A comparative QSAR analysis was therefore undertaken, in order to discern the antiparasitic activity of STLs against T. brucei and cytotoxicity. Both activities were found to depend to a large extent on the same structural elements and molecular properties. The observed variance in the biological data can be explained in terms of subtle variations in the relative influences of various molecular descriptors.

  19. Mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in lymphoma cells by the diterpenoid lactone Andrographolide, the active component of Andrographis paniculata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shuo; Evens, Andrew M.; Prachand, Sheila; Singh, Amareshwar T.K; Bhalla, Savita; David, Kevin; Gordon, Leo I.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose Andrographolide is a diterpenoid lactone isolated from Andrographis paniculata (King of Bitters), an herbal medicine used in Asia. It has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-viral and immune-stimulant properties. Furthermore, it has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in leukemia and solid tumor cell lines. Experimental Design We studied the Burkitt p53 mutated Ramos cell line, the mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) line Granta, the follicular lymphoma (FL) cell line HF-1 and the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell line SUDHL4, as well as primary cells from patients with FL, DLBCL, and MCL. Results We found that andrographolide resulted in dose- and time-dependent cell death as measured by MTT. Andrographolide significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in all cell lines. To determine mechanism of cell death, we measured apoptosis by Annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) in the presence and absence of the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), the glutathione-depleting agent buthionine sulfoxamine (BSO), or caspase inhibitors. We found that apoptosis was greatly enhanced by BSO, blocked by NAC, and accompanied by PARP cleavage and activation of caspases 3, 8 and 9. We measured BAX conformational change, and mitochondrial membrane potential, and using mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) Bax/Bak double knockouts (MEFBax−/−/Bak−/−), we found that apoptosis was mediated through mitochondrial pathways, but dependent on caspases in both cell lines and in patient samples. Conclusions Andrographolide caused ROS-dependent apoptosis in lymphoma cell lines and in primary tumor samples, which was enhanced by depletion of GSH and inhibited by NAC or the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Further studies of diterpenoid lactones in lymphoma are warranted. PMID:20798229

  20. A Novel Lactone-Forming Carboxylesterase: Molecular Identification of a Tuliposide A-Converting Enzyme in Tulip1[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Taiji; Ogita, Shinjiro; Kato, Yasuo

    2012-01-01

    Tuliposides, the glucose esters of 4-hydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate and 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate, are major secondary metabolites in tulip (Tulipa gesneriana). Their lactonized aglycons, tulipalins, function as defensive chemicals due to their biological activities. We recently found that tuliposide-converting enzyme (TCE) purified from tulip bulbs catalyzed the conversion of tuliposides to tulipalins, but the possibility of the presence of several TCE isozymes was raised: TCE in tissues other than bulbs is different from bulb TCE. Here, to prove this hypothesis, TCE was purified from petals, which have the second highest TCE activity after bulbs. The purified enzyme, like the bulb enzyme, preferentially accepted tuliposides as substrates, with 6-tuliposide A the best substrate, which allowed naming the enzyme tuliposide A-converting enzyme (TCEA), but specific activity and molecular mass differed between the petal and bulb enzymes. After peptide sequencing, a novel cDNA (TgTCEA) encoding petal TCEA was isolated, and the functional characterization of the recombinant enzyme verified that TgTCEA catalyzes the conversion of 6-tuliposide A to tulipalin A. TgTCEA was transcribed in all tulip tissues but not in bulbs, indicating the presence of a bulb-specific TgTCEA, as suggested by the distinct enzymatic characters between the petal and bulb enzymes. Plastidial localization of TgTCEA enzyme was revealed, which allowed proposing a cytological mechanism of TgTCE-mediated tulipalin formation in the tulip defensive strategy. Site-directed mutagenesis of TgTCEA suggested that the oxyanion hole and catalytic triad characteristic of typical carboxylesterases are essential for the catalytic process of TgTCEA enzyme. To our knowledge, TgTCEA is the first identified member of the lactone-forming carboxylesterases, specifically catalyzing intramolecular transesterification. PMID:22474185

  1. Method to convert biomass to 5-(hydroxymethyl)-furfural (HMF) and furfural using lactones, furans, and pyrans as solvents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumesic, James A.; Ribeiro Gallo, Jean Marcel; Alonso, David

    2014-07-08

    Described is a process to produce hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) from biomass-derived sugars. The process includes the steps of reacting a C5 and/or C6 sugar-containing reactant derived from biomass in a monophasic or biphasic reaction solution comprising water and a co-solvent. The co-solvent can be beta-, gamma-, and/or delta-lactones derived from biomass, tetrahydrofuran (THF) derived from biomass, and/or methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) derived from biomass. The reaction takes place in the presence of an acid catalyst and a dehydration catalyst for a time and under conditions such that at least a portion of glucose or fructose present in the reactant is converted to HMF.

  2. Non-critically phase-matched second harmonic generation and third order nonlinearity in organic crystal glucuronic acid γ-lactone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saripalli, Ravi Kiran; Katturi, Naga Krishnakanth; Soma, Venugopal Rao; Bhat, H. L.; Elizabeth, Suja

    2017-12-01

    The linear, second order, and third order nonlinear optical properties of glucuronic acid γ-lactone single crystals were investigated. The optic axes and principal dielectric axes were identified through optical conoscopy and the principal refractive indices were obtained using the Brewster's angle method. Conic sections were observed which is perceived to be due to spontaneous non-collinear phase matching. The direction of collinear phase matching was determined and the deff evaluated in this direction was 0.71 pm/V. Open and closed aperture Z-scan measurements with femtosecond pulses revealed high third order nonlinearity in the form of self-defocusing, two-photon absorption, as well as saturable absorption.

  3. Comparative Characterization of Total Flavonol Glycosides and Terpene Lactones at Different Ages, from Different Cultivation Sources and Genders of Ginkgo biloba Leaves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Qin

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The extract from Ginkgo biloba leaves has become a very popular plant medicine and herbal supplement for its potential benefit in alleviating symptoms associated with peripheral vascular disease, dementia, asthma and tinnitus. Most research on G. biloba leaves focus on the leaves collected in July and August from four to seven year-old trees, however a large number of leaves from fruit cultivars (trees older than 10 years are ignored and become obsolete after fruit harvest season (November. In this paper, we expand the tree age range (from one to 300 years and first comparatively analyze the total flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones at different ages, from different cultivation sources and genders of G. biloba leaves collected in November by using the validated HPLC-ELSD and HPLC-PDA methods. The results show that the contents of total terpene lactones and flavonol glycosides in the leaves of young ginkgo trees are higher than those in old trees, and they are higher in male trees than in female trees. Geographical factors appear to have a significant influence on the contents as well. These results will provide a good basis for the comprehensive utilization of G. biloba leaves, especially the leaves from fruit cultivars.

  4. Weak and saturable protein-surfactant interactions in the denaturation of apo-alpha-lactalbumin by acidic and lactonic sophorolipid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kell K Andersen

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Biosurfactants are of growing interest as sustainable alternatives to fossil-fuel-derived chemical surfactants, particularly for the detergent industry. To realize this potential, it is necessary to understand how they affect proteins which they may encounter in their applications. However knowledge of such interactions is limited. Here we present a study of the interactions between the model protein apo-alpha-lactalbumin and the biosurfactant sophorolipid (SL produced by the yeast Starmerella bombicola. SL occurs both as an acidic and a lactonic form; the lactonic form (lactSL is sparingly soluble and has a lower critical micelle concentration than the acidic form (acidSL. We show that acidSL affects apo-aLA in a similar way to the related glycolipid biosurfactant rhamnolipid (RL, with the important difference that RL is also active below the cmc in contrast to acidSL. Using isothermal titration calorimetry data, we show that acidSL has weak and saturable interactions with apo-aLA at low concentrations; due to the relatively low cmc of acidSL (which means that the monomer concentration is limited to ca. 0-1 mM SL, it is only possible to observe interactions with monomeric acidSL at high apo-aLA concentrations. However, the denaturation kinetics of apo-aLA in the presence of acidSL are consistent with a collaboration between monomeric and micellar surfactant species, similar to RL and nonionic or zwitterionic surfactants. Inclusion of lactSL as mixed micelles with acidSL lowers the cmc and this effectively reduces the rate of unfolding, emphasizing that SL like other biosurfactants is a gentle anionic surfactant. Our data highlight the potential of these biosurfactants for future use in the detergent industry.

  5. The Organization of the Quorum Sensing luxI/R Family Genes in Burkholderia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sándor Pongor

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Members of the Burkholderia genus of Proteobacteria are capable of living freely in the environment and can also colonize human, animal and plant hosts. Certain members are considered to be clinically important from both medical and veterinary perspectives and furthermore may be important modulators of the rhizosphere. Quorum sensing via N-acyl homoserine lactone signals (AHL QS is present in almost all Burkholderia species and is thought to play important roles in lifestyle changes such as colonization and niche invasion. Here we present a census of AHL QS genes retrieved from public databases and indicate that the local arrangement (topology of QS genes, their location within chromosomes and their gene neighborhoods show characteristic patterns that differ between the known Burkholderia clades. In sequence phylogenies, AHL QS genes seem to cluster according to the local gene topology rather than according to the species, which suggests that the basic topology types were present prior to the appearance of current Burkholderia species. The data are available at http://net.icgeb.org/burkholderia/.

  6. Global Analysis of the Burkholderia thailandensis Quorum Sensing-Controlled Regulon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majerczyk, Charlotte; Brittnacher, Mitchell; Jacobs, Michael; Armour, Christopher D.; Radey, Mathew; Schneider, Emily; Phattarasokul, Somsak; Bunt, Richard

    2014-01-01

    Burkholderia thailandensis contains three acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing circuits and has two additional LuxR homologs. To identify B. thailandensis quorum sensing-controlled genes, we carried out transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of quorum sensing mutants and their parent. The analyses were grounded in the fact that we identified genes coding for factors shown previously to be regulated by quorum sensing among a larger set of quorum-controlled genes. We also found that genes coding for contact-dependent inhibition were induced by quorum sensing and confirmed that specific quorum sensing mutants had a contact-dependent inhibition defect. Additional quorum-controlled genes included those for the production of numerous secondary metabolites, an uncharacterized exopolysaccharide, and a predicted chitin-binding protein. This study provides insights into the roles of the three quorum sensing circuits in the saprophytic lifestyle of B. thailandensis, and it provides a foundation on which to build an understanding of the roles of quorum sensing in the biology of B. thailandensis and the closely related pathogenic Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei. PMID:24464461

  7. A New Class of Quorum Quenching Molecules from Staphylococcus Species Affects Communication and Growth of Gram-Negative Bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Ya-Yun; Nega, Mulugeta; Wölfle, Martina; Plener, Laure; Grond, Stephanie; Jung, Kirsten; Götz, Friedrich

    2013-01-01

    The knowledge that many pathogens rely on cell-to-cell communication mechanisms known as quorum sensing, opens a new disease control strategy: quorum quenching. Here we report on one of the rare examples where Gram-positive bacteria, the ‘Staphylococcus intermedius group’ of zoonotic pathogens, excrete two compounds in millimolar concentrations that suppress the quorum sensing signaling and inhibit the growth of a broad spectrum of Gram-negative beta- and gamma-proteobacteria. These compounds were isolated from Staphylococcus delphini. They represent a new class of quorum quenchers with the chemical formula N-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl]-urea and N-(2-phenethyl)-urea, which we named yayurea A and B, respectively. In vitro studies with the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) responding receptor LuxN of V. harveyi indicated that both compounds caused opposite effects on phosphorylation to those caused by AHL. This explains the quorum quenching activity. Staphylococcal strains producing yayurea A and B clearly benefit from an increased competitiveness in a mixed community. PMID:24098134

  8. The Organization of the Quorum Sensing luxI/R Family Genes in Burkholderia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhary, Kumari Sonal; Hudaiberdiev, Sanjarbek; Gelencsér, Zsolt; Coutinho, Bruna Gonçalves; Venturi, Vittorio; Pongor, Sándor

    2013-01-01

    Members of the Burkholderia genus of Proteobacteria are capable of living freely in the environment and can also colonize human, animal and plant hosts. Certain members are considered to be clinically important from both medical and veterinary perspectives and furthermore may be important modulators of the rhizosphere. Quorum sensing via N-acyl homoserine lactone signals (AHL QS) is present in almost all Burkholderia species and is thought to play important roles in lifestyle changes such as colonization and niche invasion. Here we present a census of AHL QS genes retrieved from public databases and indicate that the local arrangement (topology) of QS genes, their location within chromosomes and their gene neighborhoods show characteristic patterns that differ between the known Burkholderia clades. In sequence phylogenies, AHL QS genes seem to cluster according to the local gene topology rather than according to the species, which suggests that the basic topology types were present prior to the appearance of current Burkholderia species. The data are available at http://net.icgeb.org/burkholderia/. PMID:23820583

  9. Global analysis of the Burkholderia thailandensis quorum sensing-controlled regulon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majerczyk, Charlotte; Brittnacher, Mitchell; Jacobs, Michael; Armour, Christopher D; Radey, Mathew; Schneider, Emily; Phattarasokul, Somsak; Bunt, Richard; Greenberg, E Peter

    2014-04-01

    Burkholderia thailandensis contains three acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing circuits and has two additional LuxR homologs. To identify B. thailandensis quorum sensing-controlled genes, we carried out transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of quorum sensing mutants and their parent. The analyses were grounded in the fact that we identified genes coding for factors shown previously to be regulated by quorum sensing among a larger set of quorum-controlled genes. We also found that genes coding for contact-dependent inhibition were induced by quorum sensing and confirmed that specific quorum sensing mutants had a contact-dependent inhibition defect. Additional quorum-controlled genes included those for the production of numerous secondary metabolites, an uncharacterized exopolysaccharide, and a predicted chitin-binding protein. This study provides insights into the roles of the three quorum sensing circuits in the saprophytic lifestyle of B. thailandensis, and it provides a foundation on which to build an understanding of the roles of quorum sensing in the biology of B. thailandensis and the closely related pathogenic Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei.

  10. Potential for luxS related signalling in marine bacteria and production of autoinducer-2 in the genus Shewanella

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wagner-Döbler Irene

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The autoinducer-2 (AI-2 group of signalling molecules are produced by both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria as the by-product of a metabolic transformation carried out by the LuxS enzyme. They are the only non species-specific quorum sensing compounds presently known in bacteria. The luxS gene coding for the AI-2 synthase enzyme was found in many important pathogens. Here, we surveyed its occurrence in a collection of 165 marine isolates belonging to abundant marine phyla using conserved degenerated PCR primers and sequencing of selected positive bands to determine if the presence of the luxS gene is phylogenetically conserved or dependent on the habitat. Results The luxS gene was not present in any of the Alphaproteobacteria (n = 71 and Bacteroidetes strains (n = 29 tested; by contrast, these bacteria harboured the sahH gene, coding for an alternative enzyme for the detoxification of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH in the activated methyl cycle. Within the Gammaproteobacteria (n = 76, luxS was found in all Shewanella, Vibrio and Alteromonas isolates and some Pseudoalteromonas and Halomonas species, while sahH was detected in Psychrobacter strains. A number of Gammaproteobacteria (n = 27 appeared to have neither the luxS nor the sahH gene. We then studied the production of AI-2 in the genus Shewanella using the Vibrio harveyi bioassay. All ten species of Shewanella tested produced a pronounced peak of AI-2 towards the end of the exponential growth phase in several media investigated. The maximum of AI-2 activity was different in each Shewanella species, ranging from 4% to 46% of the positive control. Conclusion The data are consistent with those of fully sequenced bacterial genomes and show that the potential for luxS related signalling is dependent on phylogenetic affiliation rather than ecological niche and is largest in certain groups of Gammaproteobacteria in the marine environment. This is the first report on AI-2

  11. The new pLAI (lux regulon based auto-inducible expression system for recombinant protein production in Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nocadello Salvatore

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background After many years of intensive research, it is generally assumed that no universal expression system can exist for high-level production of a given recombinant protein. Among the different expression systems, the inducible systems are the most popular for their tight regulation. However, induction is in many cases less favorable due to the high cost and/or toxicity of inducers, incompatibilities with industrial scale-up or detrimental growth conditions. Expression systems using autoinduction (or self-induction prove to be extremely versatile allowing growth and induction of recombinant proteins without the need to monitor cell density or add inducer. Unfortunately, almost all the actual auto inducible expression systems need endogenous or induced metabolic changes during the growth to trigger induction, both frequently linked to detrimental condition to cell growth. In this context, we use a simple modular approach for a cell density-based genetic regulation in order to assemble an autoinducible recombinant protein expression system in E. coli. Result The newly designed pLAI expression system places the expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli under control of the regulatory genes of the lux regulon of Vibrio fischeri's Quorum Sensing (QS system. The pLAI system allows a tight regulation of the recombinant gene allowing a negligible basal expression and expression only at high cell density. Sequence optimization of regulative genes of QS of V. fischeri for expression in E. coli upgraded the system to high level expression. Moreover, partition of regulative genes between the plasmid and the host genome and introduction of a molecular safety lock permitted tighter control of gene expression. Conclusion Coupling gene expression to cell density using cell-to-cell communication provides a promising approach for recombinant protein production. The system allows the control of expression of the target recombinant gene

  12. A Review on the Toxicity and Non-Target Effects of Macrocyclic Lactones in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lumaret, Jean-Pierre; Errouissi, Faiek; Floate, Kevin; Römbke, Jörg; Wardhaugh, Keith

    2012-01-01

    The avermectins, milbemycins and spinosyns are collectively referred to as macrocyclic lactones (MLs) which comprise several classes of chemicals derived from cultures of soil micro-organisms. These compounds are extensively and increasingly used in veterinary medicine and agriculture. Due to their potential effects on non-target organisms, large amounts of information on their impact in the environment has been compiled in recent years, mainly caused by legal requirements related to their marketing authorization or registration. The main objective of this paper is to critically review the present knowledge about the acute and chronic ecotoxicological effects of MLs on organisms, mainly invertebrates, in the terrestrial and aquatic environment. Detailed information is presented on the mode-of-action as well as the ecotoxicity of the most important compounds representing the three groups of MLs. This information, based on more than 360 references, is mainly provided in nine tables, presenting the effects of abamectin, ivermectin, eprinomectin, doramectin, emamectin, moxidectin, and spinosad on individual species of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates as well as plants and algae. Since dung dwelling organisms are particularly important non-targets, as they are exposed via dung from treated animals over their whole life-cycle, the information on the effects of MLs on dung communities is compiled in an additional table. The results of this review clearly demonstrate that regarding environmental impacts many macrocyclic lactones are substances of high concern particularly with larval instars of invertebrates. Recent studies have also shown that susceptibility varies with life cycle stage and impacts can be mitigated by using MLs when these stages are not present. However information on the environmental impact of the MLs is scattered across a wide range of specialised scientific journals with research focusing mainly on ivermectin and to a lesser extent on abamectin

  13. Isolation and structural elucidation of secondary metabolites from plants of the family Flacourtiaceae and Asclepiadaceae, and evaluation of biological activity of the sesquiterpene lactones and the diterpenes of Casearia sp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binns Quiros, Franklin

    2012-01-01

    A phytochemical study was realized of the plants Casearia aculeata, Casearia nitida and Asclepias verticillata, using experiments of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of one and two dimensions. Ten secondary metabolites are isolated from C. aculeata and C. nitida. Three of the secondary metabolites have presented a structure known: a diterpene type kaurane: ent-kaurenic acid, a diterpene type pimarane: oxide of 3β-hydroximanoil and a steroid: 4-stigmastene-3-ona. Seven remaining compounds have corresponded to diterpene type clerodane of novel structure. Eight glycosides of poly oxidized pregnanes of novel structure are isolated from A. verticillata. In vitro tests of cytotoxicity and induction of caspase-3 are performed on leukemia cells type Jurkat T. These tests were performed at fifteen sesquiterpene lactones and at four diterpenes. The tests developed have had the purpose to describe structure-activity relationships that can be linked with the capacity to inhibit the factor NF-κB (sesquiterpene lactones) described in the literature and with the known mechanism of action induction of apoptosis in diterpenes type clerodane. A clear relationship between the capacity (high, intermediate or low) to inhibit the factor NF-κB and the capacity to induce to the caspase-3 has remained without observation in the sesquiterpene lactones. Some structural comparisons related with the cytotoxic capacity and the induction of the caspase-3 have been described for the series of LSs with carbon structure of pseudoguianolides. Diterpenes with carbon structure of diterpenes type clerodane have had greater cytotoxic activity with respect to without carbon structure. Diterpenes type clerodane isolated from the family Flacourtiaceae have been cytotoxics, their capacity to induce to the caspase-3 has remained without be nearby to induction realized by the actinomycin D (pure inducer of the caspase-3). (author) [es

  14. Cross-kingdom signalling: exploitation of bacterial quorum sensing molecules by the green seaweed Ulva.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joint, Ian; Tait, Karen; Wheeler, Glen

    2007-07-29

    The green seaweed Ulva has been shown to detect signal molecules produced by bacteria. Biofilms that release N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) attract zoospores--the motile reproductive stages of Ulva. The evidence for AHL involvement is based on several independent lines of evidence, including the observation that zoospores are attracted to wild-type bacteria that produce AHLs but are not attracted to mutants that do not produce signal molecules. Synthetic AHL also attracts zoospores and the attraction is lost in the presence of autoinducer inactivation (AiiA) protein. The mechanism of attraction is not chemotactic but involves chemokinesis. When zoospores detect AHLs, the swimming rate is reduced and this results in accumulation of cells at the source of the AHL. It has been demonstrated that the detection of AHLs results in calcium influx into the zoospore. This is the first example of a calcium signalling event in a eukaryote in response to bacterial quorum sensing molecules. The role of AHLs in the ecology of Ulva is discussed. It is probable that AHLs act as cues for the settlement of zoospores, rather than being directly involved as a signalling mechanism.

  15. Signal Integration in Quorum Sensing Enables Cross-Species Induction of Virulence in Pectobacterium wasabiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valente, Rita S; Nadal-Jimenez, Pol; Carvalho, André F P; Vieira, Filipe J D; Xavier, Karina B

    2017-05-23

    Bacterial communities can sense their neighbors, regulating group behaviors in response to cell density and environmental changes. The diversity of signaling networks in a single species has been postulated to allow custom responses to different stimuli; however, little is known about how multiple signals are integrated and the implications of this integration in different ecological contexts. In the plant pathogen Pectobacterium wasabiae (formerly Erwinia carotovora ), two signaling networks-the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum-sensing system and the Gac/Rsm signal transduction pathway-control the expression of secreted plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, its major virulence determinants. We show that the AHL system controls the Gac/Rsm system by affecting the expression of the regulatory RNA RsmB. This regulation is mediated by ExpR2, the quorum-sensing receptor that responds to the P. wasabiae cognate AHL but also to AHLs produced by other bacterial species. As a consequence, this level of regulation allows P. wasabiae to bypass the Gac-dependent regulation of RsmB in the presence of exogenous AHLs or AHL-producing bacteria. We provide in vivo evidence that this pivotal role of RsmB in signal transduction is important for the ability of P. wasabiae to induce virulence in response to other AHL-producing bacteria in multispecies plant lesions. Our results suggest that the signaling architecture in P. wasabiae was coopted to prime the bacteria to eavesdrop on other bacteria and quickly join the efforts of other species, which are already exploiting host resources. IMPORTANCE Quorum-sensing mechanisms enable bacteria to communicate through small signal molecules and coordinate group behaviors. Often, bacteria have various quorum-sensing receptors and integrate information with other signal transduction pathways, presumably allowing them to respond to different ecological contexts. The plant pathogen Pectobacterium wasabiae has two N-acyl homoserine lactone

  16. Regioselective intramolecular ring closure of 2-amino-6-bromo-2,6-dideoxyhexono-1,4-lactones to 5- or 6-membered iminuronic acid analogues:synthesis of 1-deoxymannojirimycin and 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino-D-glucitol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malle, Birgitte Mølholm; Lundt, Inge; Wrodnigg, Tanja M.

    2008-01-01

    closure took place by 5-exo attack on the 5,6-epoxide leading to 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino-L-gulonic acid (9b), which was reduced to 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino-D-glucitol (9c). The method was further applied to 2-amino-6-bromo-2,6-dideoxy-D-galacto- as well as D-talo-1,4-lactones (14 and 15). However, only......-galacto- as well as L-talo-2-amino-6-bromo-2,6-dideoxy-1,4-lactones ent-14 and ent-15, reacted accordingly to give the D-galacto- and L-altro-1,5-iminuronic acid mimetics, (2S,3S,4R,5S)-3,4,5-trihydroxypipecolic acid (2,6-dideoxy-2,6-imino-L-galactonic acid, ent-16) and (2R,3S,4R,5S)-3,4,5-trihydroxypipecolic...

  17. Two cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones from the leaves of Xanthium strumarium and their in vitro inhibitory activity on farnesyltransferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young Sup; Kim, Jeoung Seob; Park, Sung-Hee; Choi, Sang-Un; Lee, Chong Ock; Kim, Seong-Kie; Kim, Young-Kyoon; Kim, Sung Hoon; Ryu, Shi Yong

    2003-04-01

    Two xanthanolide sesquiterpene lactones, 8- epi-xanthatin (1) and 8- epi-xanthatin epoxide (2), isolated from the leaves of Xanthium strumarium (Compositae), demonstrated a significant inhibition on the proliferation of cultured human tumor cells, i. e., A549 (non-small cell lung), SK-OV-3 (ovary), SK-MEL-2 (melanoma), XF498 (central nervous system) and HCT-15 (colon) in vitro. They were also found to inhibit the farnesylation process of human lamin-B by farnesyltransferase (FTase), in a dose-dependent manner in vitro (IC 50 value was calculated as 64 and 58 microM, respectively). Due to the relatively high concentrations of 1 and 2 required to obtain an FTase inhibition as compared with those necessary for a cytotoxic effect on tumor cells, it remains unclear whether a relationship between these two activities exists.

  18. Single cell analysis of Vibrio harveyi uncovers functional heterogeneity in response to quorum sensing signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anetzberger Claudia

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vibrio harveyi and closely related species are important pathogens in aquaculture. A complex quorum sensing cascade involving three autoinducers controls bioluminescence and several genes encoding virulence factors. Single cell analysis of a V. harveyi population has already indicated intercellular heterogeneity in the production of bioluminescence. This study was undertaken to analyze the expression of various autoinducer-dependent genes in individual cells. Results Here we used reporter strains bearing promoter::gfp fusions to monitor the induction/repression of three autoinducer-regulated genes in wild type conjugates at the single cell level. Two genes involved in pathogenesis - vhp and vscP, which code for an exoprotease and a component of the type III secretion system, respectively, and luxC (the first gene in the lux operon were chosen for analysis. The lux operon and the exoprotease gene are induced, while vscP is repressed at high cell density. As controls luxS and recA, whose expression is not dependent on autoinducers, were examined. The responses of the promoter::gfp fusions in individual cells from the same culture ranged from no to high induction. Importantly, simultaneous analysis of two autoinducer induced phenotypes, bioluminescence (light detection and exoproteolytic activity (fluorescence of a promoter::gfp fusion, in single cells provided evidence for functional heterogeneity within a V. harveyi population. Conclusions Autoinducers are not only an indicator for cell density, but play a pivotal role in the coordination of physiological activities within the population.

  19. Single cell analysis of Vibrio harveyi uncovers functional heterogeneity in response to quorum sensing signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anetzberger, Claudia; Schell, Ursula; Jung, Kirsten

    2012-09-18

    Vibrio harveyi and closely related species are important pathogens in aquaculture. A complex quorum sensing cascade involving three autoinducers controls bioluminescence and several genes encoding virulence factors. Single cell analysis of a V. harveyi population has already indicated intercellular heterogeneity in the production of bioluminescence. This study was undertaken to analyze the expression of various autoinducer-dependent genes in individual cells. Here we used reporter strains bearing promoter::gfp fusions to monitor the induction/repression of three autoinducer-regulated genes in wild type conjugates at the single cell level. Two genes involved in pathogenesis - vhp and vscP, which code for an exoprotease and a component of the type III secretion system, respectively, and luxC (the first gene in the lux operon) were chosen for analysis. The lux operon and the exoprotease gene are induced, while vscP is repressed at high cell density. As controls luxS and recA, whose expression is not dependent on autoinducers, were examined. The responses of the promoter::gfp fusions in individual cells from the same culture ranged from no to high induction. Importantly, simultaneous analysis of two autoinducer induced phenotypes, bioluminescence (light detection) and exoproteolytic activity (fluorescence of a promoter::gfp fusion), in single cells provided evidence for functional heterogeneity within a V. harveyi population. Autoinducers are not only an indicator for cell density, but play a pivotal role in the coordination of physiological activities within the population.

  20. α-Hydroxyketone Synthesis and Sensing by Legionella and Vibrio

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hubert Hilbi

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria synthesize and sense low molecular weight signaling molecules, termed autoinducers, to measure their population density and community complexity. One class of autoinducers, the α-hydroxyketones (AHKs, is produced and detected by the water-borne opportunistic pathogens Legionella pneumophila and Vibrio cholerae, which cause Legionnaires’ disease and cholera, respectively. The “Legionella quorum sensing” (lqs or “cholera quorum sensing” (cqs genes encode enzymes that produce and sense the AHK molecules “Legionella autoinducer-1” (LAI-1; 3-hydroxypentadecane-4-one or cholera autoinducer-1 (CAI-1; 3-hydroxytridecane-4-one. AHK signaling regulates the virulence of L. pneumophila and V. cholerae, pathogen-host cell interactions, formation of biofilms or extracellular filaments, expression of a genomic “fitness island” and competence. Here, we outline the processes, wherein AHK signaling plays a role, and review recent insights into the function of proteins encoded by the lqs and cqs gene clusters. To this end, we will focus on the autoinducer synthases catalysing the biosynthesis of AHKs, on the cognate trans-membrane sensor kinases detecting the signals, and on components of the down-stream phosphorelay cascade that promote the transmission and integration of signaling events regulating gene expression.

  1. Luminescence, virulence and quorum sensing signal production by pathogenic Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio harveyi isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defoirdt, T; Verstraete, W; Bossier, P

    2008-05-01

    To study the relationship between luminescence, autoinducer production and virulence of pathogenic vibrios. Luminescence, quorum sensing signal production and virulence towards brine shrimp nauplii of 13 Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio harveyi strains were studied. Although only two of the tested strains were brightly luminescent, all of them were shown to produce the three different types of quorum sensing signals known to be produced by Vibrio harveyi. Cell-free culture fluids of all strains significantly induced bioluminescence in the cholerae autoinducer 1, autoinducer 2 and harveyi autoinducer 1 reporter strains JAF375, JMH597 and JMH612, respectively. There was no relation between luminescence and signal production and virulence towards brine shrimp. There is a large difference between different strains of Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio harveyi with respect to bioluminescence. However, this is not reflected in signal production and virulence towards gnotobiotic brine shrimp. Moreover, there seems to be no relation between quorum sensing signal production and virulence towards brine shrimp. The results presented here indicate that strains that are most brightly luminescent are not necessarily the most virulent ones and that the lower virulence of some of the strains is not due to a lack of autoinducer production.

  2. The physical basis of bacterial quorum communication

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    This book aims to educate physical scientists and quantitatively-oriented biologists on the application of physical experimentation and analysis, together with appropriate modeling, to understanding and interpreting microbial chemical communication and especially quorum sensing (QS). Quorum sensing describes a chemical communication behavior that is nearly universal among bacteria. Individual cells release a diffusible small molecule (an autoinducer) into their environment. A high concentration of this autoinducer serves as a signal of high population density, triggering new patterns of gene expression throughout the population. However QS is often much more complex than simple census-taking. Many QS bacteria produce and detect multiple autoinducers, which generate quorum signal cross talk with each other and with other bacterial species. QS gene regulatory networks operate in physically complex environments and respond to a range of inputs in addition to autoinducer signals. While many individual QS systems ...

  3. Andrographolide: A Novel Antimalarial Diterpene Lactone Compound from Andrographis paniculata and Its Interaction with Curcumin and Artesunate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirti Mishra

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Andrographolide (AND, the diterpene lactone compound, was purified by HPLC from the methanolic fraction of the plant Andrographis paniculata. The compound was found to have potent antiplasmodial activity when tested in isolation and in combination with curcumin and artesunate against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and Plasmodium berghei ANKA in vivo. IC50s for artesunate (AS, andrographolide (AND, and curcumin (CUR were found to be 0.05, 9.1 and 17.4 μM, respectively. The compound (AND was found synergistic with curcumin (CUR and addictively interactive with artesunate (AS. In vivo, andrographolide-curcumin exhibited better antimalarial activity, not only by reducing parasitemia (29%, compared to the control (81%, but also by extending the life span by 2-3 folds. Being nontoxic to the in vivo system this agent can be used as template molecule for designing new derivatives with improved antimalarial properties.

  4. Sesquiterpene lactones: Mechanism of antineoplastic activity; relationship of cellular glutathione to cytotoxicity; and disposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grippo, A.A.

    1987-01-01

    Helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone, inhibited the growth of P388 lymphocytic and L1210 lymphoid leukemia, and Ehrlich ascites and KB carcinoma cells. The L1210 leukemia cells were most sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of helenalin. Helenalin's antineoplastic effects were due to inhibition of DNA synthesis by suppressing the activities of enzymes involved in this biosynthetic pathway; i.e., IMP dehydrogenase, ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, thioredoxin complex, GSH disulfide oxidoreductase and DNA polymerase α activities. The relationship of reduced glutathione (GSH) to the cytotoxic effects of helanalin was evaluated. L1210 cells, which were more sensitive to helenalin's toxicity, contained lower basal concentrations of GSH. Helenalin decreased the concentration of reduced glutathione in both L1210 and P388 leukemia cells. Concurrent administration of helanalin with agents reported to raise GSH concentrations did not substantially effect GSH levels, nor were survival times of tumor-bearing mice enhanced. Following intraperitoneal administration of 3 H-plenolin, no radioactive drug and/or metabolite was sequestered in the organs of BDF 1 mice. Approximately 50% of 3 H-plenolin and/or its metabolites were eliminated via urine while lesser amounts of radioactive drug and/or metabolites were eliminated in the feces

  5. Methods for detecting acylated homoserine lactones produced by Gram-negative bacteria and their application in studies of AHL- production kinetics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, L.; Christensen, Allan Beck; Molin, Søren

    2001-01-01

    and enabled an assessment of the kinetics of AHL- production of 3 strains (Serratia proteamaculans strain B5a, Erwinia carotovora ATCC 39048 and V. fischeri strain MJ-1). As expected, the production of AHL (OHHL) and luminescence in Vibrio fischeri strain MJ-1 increased faster than growth indicating up...

  6. The Antifungal Activity of Functionalized Chitin Nanocrystals in Poly (Lactid Acid Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asier M. Salaberria

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available As, in the market, poly (lactic acid (PLA is the most used polymer as an alternative to conventional plastics, and as functionalized chitin nanocrystals (CHNC can provide structural and bioactive properties, their combination sounds promising in the preparation of functional nanocomposite films for sustainable packaging. Chitin nanocrystals were successfully modified via acylation using anhydride acetic and dodecanoyl chloride acid to improve their compatibility with the matrix, PLA. The nanocomposite films were prepared by extrusion/compression approach using different concentrations of both sets of functionalized CHNC. This investigation brings forward that both sets of modified CHNC act as functional agents, i.e., they slightly improved the hydrophobic character of the PLA nanocomposite films, and, very importantly, they also enhanced their antifungal activity. Nonetheless, the nanocomposite films prepared with the CHNC modified with dodecanoyl chloride acid presented the best properties.

  7. A comparative guide to controlled hydrophobization of cellulose nanocrystals via surface esterification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shane X. Peng; Huibin Chang; Satish Kumar; Robert J. Moon; Jeffrey P. Youngblood

    2016-01-01

    Surface esterification methods of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) using acid anhydrides, acid chlorides, acid catalyzed carboxylic acids, and 101-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) activated carboxylic acids were evaluated with acetyl-, hexanoyl-, dodecanoyl-, oleoyl-, and methacryloyl-functionalization. Their grafting efficiency was investigated using Fouriertransform infrared...

  8. Quorum sensing communication between bacteria and human cells: signals, targets and functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelika eHolm

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Both direct and long-range interactions between pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and their eukaryotic hosts are important in the outcome of infections. For cell-to-cell communication, these bacteria employ the quorum sensing (QS system to pass on information of the density of the bacterial population and collectively switch on virulence factor production, biofilm formation and resistance development. Thus, QS allows bacteria to behave as a community to perform tasks which would be impossible for individual cells, e.g. to overcome defense and immune systems and establish infections in higher organisms. This review highlights these aspects of QS and our own recent research on how P.aeruginosa communicates with human cells using the small QS signal molecules N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL. We focus on how this conversation changes the behavior and function of neutrophils, macrophages and epithelial cells and on how the signaling machinery in human cells responsible for the recognition of AHL. Understanding the bacteria-host relationships at both cellular and molecular levels is essential for the identification of new targets and for the development of novel strategies to fight bacterial infections in the future.

  9. Potential of bulb-associated bacteria for biocontrol of hyacinth soft rot caused by Dickeya zeae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafra, S; Przysowa, J; Gwizdek-Wiśniewska, A; van der Wolf, J M

    2009-01-01

    Dickeya zeae is a pectinolytic bacterium responsible for soft rot disease in flower bulb crops. In this study, the possibility of controlling soft rot disease in hyacinth by using antagonistic bacteria isolated from hyacinth bulbs was explored. Bacterial isolates with potential for biocontrol were selected on the basis of antibiosis against D. zeae, siderophore production, and the N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs)-inactivation. In in vitro assays, 35 out of 565 hyacinth-associated bacterial isolates produced antimicrobial substances against D. zeae, whereas 20 degraded AHLs, and 35 produced siderophores. Isolates of interest were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis and reaction in BIOLOG tests. Twenty-six isolates that differed in characteristics were selected for pathogenicity testing on hyacinth cultivars, Pink Pearl and Carnegie. Two strains identified as Rahnella aquatilis and one as Erwinia persicinus significantly reduced tissue maceration caused by D. zeae 2019 on hyacinth bulbs, but not on leaves. Hyacinth bulbs harbour bacteria belonging to different taxonomic groups that are antagonistic to D. zeae, and some can attenuate decay of bulb tissue. Selected hyacinth-associated bacterial isolates have potential for control of soft rot disease caused by D. zeae in hyacinth bulb production.

  10. The Burkholderia cepacia rpoE gene is not involved in exopolysaccharide production and onion pathogenicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devescovi, Giulia; Venturi, Vittorio

    2006-03-01

    Burkholderia cepacia was originally described as the causative agent of bacterial rot of onions, and it has now emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen causing severe chronic lung infections in patients having cystic fibrosis. Burkholderia cepacia is now classified into nine very closely related species (previously designated as genomovars), all of which have been isolated from both environmental and clinical sources and are collectively known as the B. cepacia complex. The alternative extracytoplasmic function sigma factor, sigmaE, has been determined in several bacterial species as making substantial contributions to bacterial survival under stress conditions. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the rpoE gene, encoding sigmaE, of B. cepacia. It is highly similar to sigmaE of other bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Studies using an rpoE knockout mutant of B. cepacia revealed that many stress adaptations, including osmotic, oxidative, desiccation, carbon, and nitrogen stress, were independent of sigmaE. Similarly, biofilm formation; production of exopolysaccharides, N-acyl homoserine lactones, and several exoenzymes; and onion pathogenicity were not affected by the absence of sigmaE. In contrast, sigmaE contributed to the adaptation to heat stress and phosphate starvation.

  11. Functions and regulation of quorum-sensing in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis eFaure

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In Agrobacterium tumefaciens, horizontal transfer and vegetative replication of oncogenic Ti plasmids involve a cell-to-cell communication process called quorum-sensing (QS. The determinants of the QS-system belong to the LuxR/LuxI class. The LuxI-like protein TraI synthesizes N-acyl-homoserine lactone molecules which act as diffusible QS-signals. Beyond a threshold concentration, these molecules bind and activate the LuxR-like transcriptional regulator TraR, thereby initiating the QS-regulatory pathway. For the last twenty years, A. tumefaciens has stood as a prominent model in the understanding of the LuxR/LuxI type of QS systems. A number of studies also unveiled features which are unique to A. tumefaciens QS, some of them being directly related to the phytopathogenic lifestyle of the bacteria. In this review we will present the current knowledge of QS in A. tumefaciens at both the genetic and molecular levels. We will also describe how interactions with plant host modulate the QS pathway of A. tumefaciens, and discuss what could be the advantages for the agrobacteria to use such a tightly regulated QS-system to disseminate the Ti plasmids.

  12. Antifungal activity and genetic diversity of selected Pseudomonas spp. from maize rhizosphere in Vojvodina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jošić Dragana

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotic production by plant-associated microorganisms represents an environmentally compatible method of disease control in agriculture. However, a vide application of bacterial strains needs careful selection and genetic characterization. In this investigation, selected Pseudomonas strains were characterized by rep-PCR methods using ERIC and (GTG5 primers, and partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis. None of strains produced homoserine lactones (C4, C6, C8 as quorum sensing signal molecules. Very poor production of phenazines and no significant fungal inhibition was observed for PS4 and PS6 strains. High amount of phenazines were produced by Pseudomonas sp. strain PS2, which inhibited mycelial growth of 10 phytopatogenic fungi in percent of 25 (Verticillium sp. to 65 (Fusarium equiseti. Genetic characterization of the Pseudomonas sp. PS2 and evaluation of phenazines production, as the main trait for growth inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi, will allow its application as a biosafe PGPR for field experiments of plant disease control. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46007: New indigenous bacterial isolates Lysobacter and Pseudomonas as an important sources of metabolites useful for biotechnology, plant growth stimulation and disease control: From isolates to inoculants

  13. FY 1998 report on the results of the development of utilization technology of biological resources such as bioconsortia. Development of the bioconsortia system utilization/production technology; 1998 nendo fukugo seibutsukei nado seibutsu shigen riyo gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Fukugo seibutsukei riyo seisan gijutsu no kaihatsu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-03-01

    For the purpose of establishing the technology to use high grade functions of the bioconsortia system, the R and D were conducted, and the FY 1998 results were summed up. As to the study of functional material producing technology, screening of the 2400 strains owned by Marine Biotechnology Institute was conducted using reporter strain, and about 400 strains of homoserine lactone producing bacteria which are interbiological information convey substances were obtained. Concerning the effective decomposing/purifying technology of petroleum products, study of petroleum decomposition analysis technology was finished in the development of culture/control technology of petroleum decomposition microbial consortia constitutive bacteria. Relating to the analysis of the petroleum decomposition microbial consortia, changes in the bacteria population at the site of the heavy oil pollution accident on the Sea of Japan were investigated for the past one year by the PCR/DGGE method. It was found out that levels of the oil pollution in ocean could be assessed by measuring the concentration of Alcanivorax. As to the technology for highly utilizing unused petroleum fractions, conducted were the chemical analysis of photolytic crude oil, selection of the decomposition microbial consortia, etc. (NEDO)

  14. Identification of New Lactone Derivatives Isolated from Trichoderma sp., An Endophytic Fungus of Brotowali (Tinaspora crispa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ELFITA

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Endophytic fungi is a rich source of novel organic compounds with interesting biological activities and a high level of structural diversity. As a part of our systematic search for new bioactive lead structures and specific profiles from endophytic fungi, an endophytic fungus was isolated from roots of brotowali (Tinaspora crispa, an important medicinal plant. Colonial morphological trait and microscopic observation revealed that the endophytic fungus was Trichoderma sp. The pure fungal strain was cultivated on 7 L Potatos Dextose Broth (PDB medium under room temperature (no shaking for 8 weeks. The ethyl acetate were added to cultur medium and left overnight to stop cell growth. The culture filtrates were collected and extracted with EtOAc and then taken to evaporation. Two new lactone derivatives, 5-hydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-2H-pyran-2-one (1 and (5-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H pyran-4-yl methyl acetate (2 were obtained from the EtOAc extracts of Trichoderma sp. Their structures were determined on the basic of spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HMQC, and HMBC.

  15. Preparation of (+)- and (-)- β-phenyl- and β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ- butyro lactones: Key intermediates in the synthesis of β-phenyl-Gaba and baclofene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomez G, J.; Melendez R, M.; Suarez C, O. R.; Castelan D, L. E.; Fragoso V, M. J.; Lopez V, E.; Sanchez Z, M., E-mail: melendez@uaeh.edu.mx [Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Area Academica de Quimica, Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Mineral de la Reforma 42184, Hidalgo (Mexico)

    2014-07-01

    the preparation of β-phenyl- and β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ-butyro lactones (±)-4 and their resolution to the corresponding (+)-(S)-3, (-)-(R)-3 and (+)-(S)-4, (-)-(R)-4 through formation, flash column chromatography separation and subsequent hydrolysis of dia stereoisomeric 4-hydroxybutyramide s (2'R,3S)-5, (2'R,3R)-5, (2'R,3S)-6 and (2'R,3R)-6 is described. The absolute configuration assignment of enantiopure 3 and 4 was supported by X-ray crystallographic structures of (2'R,3R)-5, (2'R,3S)-6 and (2'R,3R)-6. (Author)

  16. Preparation of (+)- and (-)- β-phenyl- and β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ- butyro lactones: Key intermediates in the synthesis of β-phenyl-Gaba and baclofene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomez G, J.; Melendez R, M.; Suarez C, O. R.; Castelan D, L. E.; Fragoso V, M. J.; Lopez V, E.; Sanchez Z, M.

    2014-01-01

    the preparation of β-phenyl- and β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ-butyro lactones (±)-4 and their resolution to the corresponding (+)-(S)-3, (-)-(R)-3 and (+)-(S)-4, (-)-(R)-4 through formation, flash column chromatography separation and subsequent hydrolysis of dia stereoisomeric 4-hydroxybutyramide s (2'R,3S)-5, (2'R,3R)-5, (2'R,3S)-6 and (2'R,3R)-6 is described. The absolute configuration assignment of enantiopure 3 and 4 was supported by X-ray crystallographic structures of (2'R,3R)-5, (2'R,3S)-6 and (2'R,3R)-6. (Author)

  17. Quantitative analysis of sesquiterpene lactone cnicin in seven Centaurea species wild-growing in Serbia and Montenegro using 1H-NMR spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IRIS DJORDJEVIC

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available 1H-NMR spectroscopy was applied for the quantitative analysis of cnicin, a bioactive germacranolide type sesquiterpene lactone, in the aerial parts of seven wild-growing Centaurea species collected in Serbia and Montenegro. The analysis was performed by comparison of the integral of the one-proton signal of cnicin (H-13, δ 5.75 with that of the two-proton singlet (δ 6.98 of 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl-4-methylphenol (BHT, used as the internal standard. Cnicin, within concentration the range 1.06–6.12 mg/g, calculated per weight of the fresh plant material was detected in six species, the exception being C. salonitana. This method allows the rapid and simple quantification of cnicin without any pre-purification step.

  18. 1,5-Anhydro-D-fructose: regioselective acylation with fatty acids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundt, Inge; Andersen, Søren Møller; Marcussen, Jan

    1999-01-01

    Regioselective acylation of 1,5-anhydro-D-fructose was performed with dodecanoic acid to give 1,5-anhydro-6-O-dodecanoyl-D-fructose, chemically in 50% yield and enzymatically in quantitative yield. Quantitative conversions were also obtained using hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids as acyl donors...

  19. Ratiometric Gas Reporting: A Nondisruptive Approach To Monitor Gene Expression in Soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Hsiao-Ying; Masiello, Caroline A; Del Valle, Ilenne; Gao, Xiaodong; Bennett, George N; Silberg, Jonathan J

    2018-03-16

    Fluorescent proteins are ubiquitous tools that are used to monitor the dynamic functions of natural and synthetic genetic circuits. However, these visual reporters can only be used in transparent settings, a limitation that complicates nondisruptive measurements of gene expression within many matrices, such as soils and sediments. We describe a new ratiometric gas reporting method for nondisruptively monitoring gene expression within hard-to-image environmental matrices. With this approach, C 2 H 4 is continuously synthesized by ethylene forming enzyme to provide information on viable cell number, and CH 3 Br is conditionally synthesized by placing a methyl halide transferase gene under the control of a conditional promoter. We show that ratiometric gas reporting enables the creation of Escherichia coli biosensors that report on acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) autoinducers used for quorum sensing by Gram-negative bacteria. Using these biosensors, we find that an agricultural soil decreases the bioavailable concentration of a long-chain AHL up to 100-fold. We also demonstrate that these biosensors can be used in soil to nondisruptively monitor AHLs synthesized by Rhizobium leguminosarum and degraded by Bacillus thuringiensis. Finally, we show that this new reporting approach can be used in Shewanella oneidensis, a bacterium that lives in sediments.

  20. Quantitative HPLC analysis of sesquiterpene lactones and determination of chemotypes in Eremanthus seidelii MacLeish and Schumacher (Asteraceae)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sakamoto, Humberto T. [Sao Paulo Univ., Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciencias e Letras. Dept. de Quimica; Gobbo-Neto, Leonardo; Lopes, Norberto P.; Lopes, Joao L.C. [Sao Paulo Univ., Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas. Dept. de Fisica e Quimica]. E-mail: joaoluis@usp.br; npelopes@fcfrp.usp.br; Cavalheiro, Alberto J. [UNESP, Araraquara, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

    2005-11-15

    anthus seidelii MacLeish and Schumacher has a restricted occurrence to the Brazilian 'cerrado' surrounding the Furnas (MG) reservoir, in environments that have been seriously damaged by human activity. The present phytochemical investigation reveals that the sesquiterpene lactones (SL) 4{beta},5-dihydro-2',3'-dihydroxy-15-desoxy-goyazensolide (1) and 4{beta},5-dihydro-1',2'-epoxy-eremantholide-C (2) are the major secondary metabolites in E. seidelii leaves, and an HPLC method was developed for their quantitative analysis. HPLC analysis showed no significant seasonal variation in the concentrations of both SL. No qualitative differences were found in the SL patterns of all individuals sampled. However, there is a different SL quantitative pattern among the plants analyzed, pointing to the existence of three quantitative chemotypes of this species, with differences possibly originating from the activity of the enzymes that cyclize the goyazensolide type SL (1) to a eremantholide type SL (2). (author)

  1. Quantitative HPLC analysis of sesquiterpene lactones and determination of chemotypes in Eremanthus seidelii MacLeish and Schumacher (Asteraceae)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, Humberto T.; Gobbo-Neto, Leonardo; Lopes, Norberto P.; Lopes, Joao L.C.; Cavalheiro, Alberto J.

    2005-01-01

    Eremanthus seidelii MacLeish and Schumacher has a restricted occurrence to the Brazilian 'cerrado' surrounding the Furnas (MG) reservoir, in environments that have been seriously damaged by human activity. The present phytochemical investigation reveals that the sesquiterpene lactones (SL) 4β,5-dihydro-2',3'-dihydroxy-15-desoxy-goyazensolide (1) and 4β,5-dihydro-1',2'-epoxy-eremantholide-C (2) are the major secondary metabolites in E. seidelii leaves, and an HPLC method was developed for their quantitative analysis. HPLC analysis showed no significant seasonal variation in the concentrations of both SL. No qualitative differences were found in the SL patterns of all individuals sampled. However, there is a different SL quantitative pattern among the plants analyzed, pointing to the existence of three quantitative chemotypes of this species, with differences possibly originating from the activity of the enzymes that cyclize the goyazensolide type SL (1) to a eremantholide type SL (2). (author)

  2. Minor Threonine Dehydratase Encoded Within the Threonine Synthetic Region of Bacillus subtilis1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vapnek, Daniel; Greer, Sheldon

    1971-01-01

    Challenging auxotrophs on metabolites that are precursors of a biosynthetic step involving a mutated enzyme has revealed a new class of suppressor mutations which act by derepressing a minor enzyme activity not normally detected in the wild-type strain. These indirect, partial suppressor mutations which allow isoleucine auxotrophs to grow on homoserine or threonine have been analyzed to determine their effect on enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of these amino acids. It has been found that one class of these suppressor mutations (sprA) leads to the derepression of homoserine kinase, homoserine dehydrogenase, and a minor threonine dehydratase that is not sufficiently active to be detected in the wild-type strain. The gene encoding this second threonine dehydratase activity has been found to be located between the structural genes for homoserine kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase. The results of these experiments indicate that plating of auxotrophs on precursors of a biosynthetic step involving mutated enzymes could prove to be a valuable method for the detection of regulatory mutants as well as a possible tool in studying the evolution of biochemical pathways. PMID:4997544

  3. Binding events of (S )-N -(3-oxo-octanoyl)-homoserine lactone with agrobacterium tumefaciens mutant cells studied by saturation transfer difference NMR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cabeca, Luis Fernando; Pomini, Armando Mateus; Cruz, Pedro Luiz R.; Marsaioli, Anita J. [University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Chemistry Inst.

    2011-07-01

    Quorum-sensing is a widely studied communication phenomenon in bacteria, which involves the production and detection of signaling substances in relation with cell density and colony behavior. Herein, the membrane binding interactions of the signal (S)-N-(3-oxo-octanoyl)-HSL with A. tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) cells were studied using saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy (STD-NMR). The substance epitope map was obtained showing that the hydrophobic acyl chain is the most important interacting site for the signal and the cell membrane. Results were interpreted upon comparisons with a simpler system, using liposomes as membrane models. Some insights on the use of b-cyclodextrin as acyl-HSL carrier were also provided. (author)

  4. Quorum-Quenching Human Designer Cells for Closed-Loop Control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedlmayer, Ferdinand; Jaeger, Tina; Jenal, Urs; Fussenegger, Martin

    2017-08-09

    Current antibiotics gradually lose their efficacy against chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections due to development of increased resistance mediated by biofilm formation, as well as the large arsenal of microbial virulence factors that are coordinated by the cell density-dependent phenomenon of quorum sensing. Here, we address this issue by using synthetic biology principles to rationally engineer quorum-quencher cells with closed-loop control to autonomously dampen virulence and interfere with biofilm integrity. Pathogen-derived signals dynamically activate a synthetic mammalian autoinducer sensor driving downstream expression of next-generation anti-infectives. Engineered cells were able to sensitively score autoinducer levels from P. aeruginosa clinical isolates and mount a 2-fold defense consisting of an autoinducer-inactivating enzyme to silence bacterial quorum sensing and a bipartite antibiofilm effector to dissolve the biofilm matrix. The self-guided cellular device fully cleared autoinducers, potentiated bacterial antibiotic susceptibility, substantially reduced biofilms, and alleviated cytotoxicity to lung epithelial cells. We believe this strategy of dividing otherwise coordinated pathogens and breaking up their shielded stronghold represents a blueprint for cellular anti-infectives in the postantibiotic era.

  5. Characterization of N-acylhomoserine lactone-degrading bacteria associated with the Zingiber officinale (ginger rhizosphere: Co-existence of quorum quenching and quorum sensing in Acinetobacter and Burkholderia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chhabra Siri

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cell-to-cell communication (quorum sensing (QS co-ordinates bacterial behaviour at a population level. Consequently the behaviour of a natural multi-species community is likely to depend at least in part on co-existing QS and quorum quenching (QQ activities. Here we sought to discover novel N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL-dependent QS and QQ strains by investigating a bacterial community associated with the rhizosphere of ginger (Zingiber officinale growing in the Malaysian rainforest. Results By using a basal growth medium containing N-(3-oxohexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen, the ginger rhizosphere associated bacteria were enriched for strains with AHL-degrading capabilities. Three isolates belonging to the genera Acinetobacter (GG2, Burkholderia (GG4 and Klebsiella (Se14 were identified and selected for further study. Strains GG2 and Se14 exhibited the broadest spectrum of AHL-degrading activities via lactonolysis while GG4 reduced 3-oxo-AHLs to the corresponding 3-hydroxy compounds. In GG2 and GG4, QQ was found to co-exist with AHL-dependent QS and GG2 was shown to inactivate both self-generated and exogenously supplied AHLs. GG2, GG4 and Se14 were each able to attenuate virulence factor production in both human and plant pathogens. Conclusions Collectively our data show that ginger rhizosphere bacteria which make and degrade a wide range of AHLs are likely to play a collective role in determining the QS-dependent phenotype of a polymicrobial community.

  6. Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone from Andrographis paniculata and its therapeutic promises in cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Muhammad Torequl; Ali, Eunüs S; Uddin, Shaikh Jamal; Islam, Md Amirul; Shaw, Subrata; Khan, Ishaq N; Saravi, Seyed Soheil Saeedi; Ahmad, Saheem; Rehman, Shahnawaz; Gupta, Vijai Kumar; Găman, Mihnea-Alexandru; Găman, Amelia Maria; Yele, Santosh; Das, Asish Kumar; de Castro E Sousa, João Marcelo; de Moura Dantas, Sandra Maria Mendes; Rolim, Hercília Maria Lins; de Carvalho Melo-Cavalcante, Ana Amélia; Mubarak, Mohammad S; Yarla, Nagendra Sastry; Shilpi, Jamil A; Mishra, Siddhartha Kumar; Atanasov, Atanas G; Kamal, Mohammad Amjad

    2018-04-28

    The diterpene lactone andrographolide, isolated from Andrographis paniculata, has been proven to possess several important protective biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, hypolipidemic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. In addition, it has been reported to play a therapeutic role in the treatment of major human diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and colitis. This systematic review aims to highlight andrographolide as a promising agent in cancer treatment. To this purpose, a number of databases were used to search for the cytotoxic/anticancer effects of andrographolide in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Among 1703 identified literature articles, 139 were included in this review; 109 were investigated as non-clinical, whereas 24, 3, and 3 were pre-clinical, clinical, and non-pre-clinical trials, respectively. Among the model systems, cultured cell lines appeared as the most frequently (79.14%) used, followed by in vivo models using rodents, among others. Furthermore, andrographolide was found to exert cytotoxic/anticancer effects on almost all types of cell lines with the underlying mechanisms involving oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, anti-inflammatory and immune system mediated effects, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, inhibition of cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion, anti-angiogenic activity, and other miscellaneous actions. After careful consideration of the relevant evidence, we suggest that andrographolide can be one of the potential agents in the treatment of cancer in the near future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Aggregation of soy protein-isoflavone complexes and gel formation induced by glucono-δ-lactone in soymilk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsia, Sheng-Yang; Hsiao, Yu-Hsuan; Li, Wen-Tai; Hsieh, Jung-Feng

    2016-10-01

    This study investigated the glucono-δ-lactone (GDL)-induced aggregation of isoflavones and soy proteins in soymilk. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that isoflavones mixed with β-conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S) proteins formed 7S-isoflavone and 11S-isoflavone complexes in soymilk supernatant fraction (SSF). Most of the soy protein-isoflavone complexes then precipitated into the soymilk pellet fraction (SPF) following the addition of 4 mM GDL, whereupon the pH value of the soymilk dropped from 6.6 to 5.9. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and HPLC analysis suggest that the addition of 4 mM GDL induced the aggregation of most 7S (α’, α and β subunits), 11S acidic and 11S basic proteins as well as isoflavones, including most aglycones, including daidzein, glycitein, genistein and a portion of glucosides, including daidzin, glycitin, genistin, malonyldaidzin and malonylgenistin. These results provide an important reference pertaining to the effects of GDL on the aggregation of soy protein-isoflavone complexes and could benefit future research regarding the production of tofu from soymilk.

  8. Prebiotic Amino Acid Thioester Synthesis: Thiol-Dependent Amino Acid Synthesis from Formose substrates (Formaldehyde and Glycolaldehyde) and Ammonia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Arthur L.

    1998-01-01

    Formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde (substrates of the formose autocatalytic cycle) were shown to react with ammonia yielding alanine and homoserine under mild aqueous conditions in the presence of thiol catalysts. Since similar reactions carried out without ammonia yielded alpha-hydroxy acid thioesters, the thiol-dependent synthesis of alanine and homoserine is presumed to occur via amino acid thioesters-intermediates capable of forming peptides. A pH 5.2 solution of 20 mM formaldehyde, 20 mM glycolaldehyde, 20 mM ammonium chloride, 23 mM 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and 23 mM acetic acid that reacted for 35 days at 40 C yielded (based on initial formaldehyde) 1.8% alanine and 0.08% homoserine. In the absence of thiol catalyst, the synthesis of alanine and homoserine was negligible. Alanine synthesis required both formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde, but homoserine synthesis required only glycolaldehyde. At 25 days the efficiency of alanine synthesis calculated from the ratio of alanine synthesized to formaldehyde reacted was 2.1%, and the yield (based on initial formaldehyde) of triose and tetrose intermediates involved in alanine and homoserine synthesis was 0.3 and 2.1%, respectively. Alanine synthesis was also seen in similar reactions containing only 10 mM each of aldehyde substrates, ammonia, and thiol. The prebiotic significance of these reactions that use the formose reaction to generate sugar intermediates that are converted to reactive amino acid thioesters is discussed.

  9. Glucono-delta-lactone and citric acid as acidulants for lowering the heat resistance of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 in HTST working conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silla Santos, M H; Torres Zarzo, J

    1995-04-01

    The heat resistance of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 spores has been studied to establish the influence of acidification with glucono-delta-lactone (GDL) and citric acid on the thermal resistance parameters (DT and z) of this microorganism and to compare their effect with phosphate buffer and natural asparagus as reference substrates. A reduction in DT values was observed in asparagus purée as the acidification level increased with both acidulants although this effect was more evident at the lower treatment temperatures studied (121-127 degrees C). Citric acid was more effective for reducing the heat resistance of spores than GDL at all of the temperatures. The reduction in pH diminished the value of the z parameter, although it was necessary to lower the pH to 4.5 to obtain a significant reduction.

  10. NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-FCAT-01-0707 [SEVENS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available CBRC-FCAT-01-0707 ref|YP_929042.1| Aspartate kinase., Homoserine dehydrogenase [Shewanella amazon...ensis SB2B] gb|ABM01373.1| Aspartate kinase., Homoserine dehydrogenase [Shewanella amazonensis SB2B] YP_929042.1 0.94 27% ...

  11. Computational Exploration of Putative LuxR Solos in Archaea and Their Functional Implications in Quorum Sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajput, Akanksha; Kumar, Manoj

    2017-01-01

    LuxR solos are unexplored in Archaea, despite their vital role in the bacterial regulatory network. They assist bacteria in perceiving acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) and/or non-AHLs signaling molecules for establishing intraspecies, interspecies, and interkingdom communication. In this study, we explored the potential LuxR solos of Archaea from InterPro v62.0 meta-database employing taxonomic, probable function, distribution, and evolutionary aspects to decipher their role in quorum sensing (QS). Our bioinformatics analyses showed that putative LuxR solos of Archaea shared few conserved domains with bacterial LuxR despite having less similarity within proteins. Functional characterization revealed their ability to bind various AHLs and/or non-AHLs signaling molecules that involve in QS cascades alike bacteria. Further, the phylogenetic study indicates that Archaeal LuxR solos (with less substitution per site) evolved divergently from bacteria and share distant homology along with instances of horizontal gene transfer. Moreover, Archaea possessing putative LuxR solos, exhibit the correlation between taxonomy and ecological niche despite being the inhabitant of diverse habitats like halophilic, thermophilic, barophilic, methanogenic, and chemolithotrophic. Therefore, this study would shed light in deciphering the role of the putative LuxR solos of Archaea to adapt varied habitats via multilevel communication with other organisms using QS. PMID:28515720

  12. Computational Exploration of Putative LuxR Solos in Archaea and Their Functional Implications in Quorum Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akanksha Rajput

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available LuxR solos are unexplored in Archaea, despite their vital role in the bacterial regulatory network. They assist bacteria in perceiving acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs and/or non-AHLs signaling molecules for establishing intraspecies, interspecies, and interkingdom communication. In this study, we explored the potential LuxR solos of Archaea from InterPro v62.0 meta-database employing taxonomic, probable function, distribution, and evolutionary aspects to decipher their role in quorum sensing (QS. Our bioinformatics analyses showed that putative LuxR solos of Archaea shared few conserved domains with bacterial LuxR despite having less similarity within proteins. Functional characterization revealed their ability to bind various AHLs and/or non-AHLs signaling molecules that involve in QS cascades alike bacteria. Further, the phylogenetic study indicates that Archaeal LuxR solos (with less substitution per site evolved divergently from bacteria and share distant homology along with instances of horizontal gene transfer. Moreover, Archaea possessing putative LuxR solos, exhibit the correlation between taxonomy and ecological niche despite being the inhabitant of diverse habitats like halophilic, thermophilic, barophilic, methanogenic, and chemolithotrophic. Therefore, this study would shed light in deciphering the role of the putative LuxR solos of Archaea to adapt varied habitats via multilevel communication with other organisms using QS.

  13. Mechanism of the Quorum-Quenching Lactonase (AiiA) from Bacillus thuringiensis. 2. Substrate Modeling and Active Site Mutations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Momb, Jessica; Wang, Canhui; Liu, Dali; Thomas, Pei W.; Petsko, Gregory A.; Guo, Hua; Ringe, Dagmar; Fast, Walter (UNM); (Brandeis); (Texas)

    2008-12-02

    The N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone hydrolases (AHL lactonases) have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to quench AHL-mediated quorum-sensing pathways in Gram-negative bacteria and because of their relation to other enzymes in the metallo-{beta}-lactamase superfamily. To elucidate the detailed catalytic mechanism of AHL lactonase, mutations are made on residues that presumably contribute to substrate binding and catalysis. Steady-state kinetic studies are carried out on both the wild-type and mutant enzymes using a spectrum of substrates. Two mutations, Y194F and D108N, present significant effects on the overall catalysis. On the basis of a high-resolution structural model of the enzyme-product complex, a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical method is used to model the substrate binding orientation and to probe the effect of the Y194F mutation. Combining all experimental and computational results, we propose a detailed mechanism for the ring-opening hydrolysis of AHL substrates as catalyzed by the AHL lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis. Several features of the mechanism that are also found in related enzymes are discussed and may help to define an evolutionary thread that connects the hydrolytic enzymes of this mechanistically diverse superfamily.

  14. Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Biofouling Bacteria and Profiling of Quorum Sensing Signal Molecules from Membrane Bioreactor Activated Sludge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harshad Lade

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The formation of biofilm in a membrane bioreactor depends on the production of various signaling molecules like N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. In the present study, a total of 200 bacterial strains were isolated from membrane bioreactor activated sludge and screened for AHLs production using two biosensor systems, Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136. A correlation between AHLs production and biofilm formation has been made among screened AHLs producing strains. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed the dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in AHLs production; however few a species of Serratia, Leclercia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Raoultella and Citrobacter were also identified. The chromatographic characterization of sludge extract showed the presence of a broad range of quorum sensing signal molecules. Further identification of sludge AHLs by thin layer chromatography bioassay and high performance liquid chromatography confirms the presence of C4-HSL, C6-HSL, C8-HSL, 3-oxo-C8-HSL, C10-HSL, C12-HSL, 3-oxo-C12-HSL and C14-HSL. The occurrence of AHLs in sludge extract and dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in activated sludge suggests the key role of these bacterial strains in AHLs production and thereby membrane fouling.

  15. Isolation and molecular characterization of biofouling bacteria and profiling of quorum sensing signal molecules from membrane bioreactor activated sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lade, Harshad; Paul, Diby; Kweon, Ji Hyang

    2014-02-04

    The formation of biofilm in a membrane bioreactor depends on the production of various signaling molecules like N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). In the present study, a total of 200 bacterial strains were isolated from membrane bioreactor activated sludge and screened for AHLs production using two biosensor systems, Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136. A correlation between AHLs production and biofilm formation has been made among screened AHLs producing strains. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed the dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in AHLs production; however few a species of Serratia, Leclercia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Raoultella and Citrobacter were also identified. The chromatographic characterization of sludge extract showed the presence of a broad range of quorum sensing signal molecules. Further identification of sludge AHLs by thin layer chromatography bioassay and high performance liquid chromatography confirms the presence of C4-HSL, C6-HSL, C8-HSL, 3-oxo-C8-HSL, C10-HSL, C12-HSL, 3-oxo-C12-HSL and C14-HSL. The occurrence of AHLs in sludge extract and dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in activated sludge suggests the key role of these bacterial strains in AHLs production and thereby membrane fouling.

  16. Chemical Composition and Disruption of Quorum Sensing Signaling in Geographically Diverse United States Propolis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A. Savka

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Propolis or bee glue has been used for centuries for various purposes and is especially important in human health due to many of its biological and pharmacological properties. In this work we showed quorum sensing inhibitory (QSI activity of ten geographically distinct propolis samples from the United States using the acyl-homoserine lactone- (AHL- dependent Chromobacterium violaceum strain CV026. Based on GC-MS chemical profiling the propolis samples can be classified into several groups that are as follows: (1 rich in cinnamic acid derivatives, (2 rich in flavonoids, and (3 rich in triterpenes. An in-depth analysis of the propolis from North Carolina led to the isolation and identification of a triterpenic acid that was recently isolated from Hondurian propolis (Central America and ethyl ether of p-coumaric alcohol not previously identified in bee propolis. QSI activity was also observed in the second group US propolis samples which contained the flavonoid pinocembrin in addition to other flavonoid compounds. The discovery of compounds that are involved in QSI activity has the potential to facilitate studies that may lead to the development of antivirulence therapies that can be complementary and/or alternative treatments against antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens and/or emerging pathogens that have yet to be identified.

  17. The role of quorum sensing signalling in EPS production and the assembly of a sludge community into aerobic granules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Chuan Hao; Koh, Kai Shyang; Xie, Chao; Tay, Martin; Zhou, Yan; Williams, Rohan; Ng, Wun Jern; Rice, Scott A; Kjelleberg, Staffan

    2014-06-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) signalling has been extensively studied in single species populations. However, the ecological role of QS in complex, multi-species communities, particularly in the context of community assembly, has neither been experimentally explored nor theoretically addressed. Here, we performed a long-term bioreactor ecology study to address the links between QS, organization and composition of complex microbial communities. The conversion of floccular biomass to highly structured granules was found to be non-random, but strongly and positively correlated with N-acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL)-mediated QS. Specific AHLs were elevated up to 100-fold and were strongly associated with the initiation of granulation. Similarly, the levels of particular AHLs decreased markedly during the granular disintegration phase. Metadata analysis indicated that granulation was accompanied by changes in extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and AHL add-back studies also resulted in increased EPS synthesis. In contrast to the commonly reported nanomolar to micromolar signal concentrations in pure culture laboratory systems, QS signalling in the granulation ecosystem occurred at picomolar to nanomolar concentrations of AHLs. Given that low concentrations of AHLs quantified in this study were sufficient to activate AHL bioreporters in situ in complex granular communities, AHL mediated QS may be a common feature in many natural and engineered ecosystems, where it coordinates community behaviour.

  18. In Situ Ecophysiology of Microbial Biofilm Communities Analyzed by CMEIAS Computer-Assisted Microscopy at Single-Cell Resolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youssef G. Yanni

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the utility of CMEIAS (Center for Microbial Ecology Image Analysis System computer-assisted microscopy to extract data from accurately segmented images that provide 63 different insights into the ecophysiology of microbial populations and communities within biofilms and other habitats. Topics include quantitative assessments of: (i morphological diversity as an indicator of impacts that substratum physicochemistries have on biofilm community structure and dominance-rarity relationships among populations; (ii morphotype-specific distributions of biovolume body size that relate microbial allometric scaling, metabolic activity and growth physiology; (iii fractal geometry of optimal cellular positioning for efficient utilization of allocated nutrient resources; (iv morphotype-specific stress responses to starvation, environmental disturbance and bacteriovory predation; (v patterns of spatial distribution indicating positive and negative cell–cell interactions affecting their colonization behavior; and (vi significant methodological improvements to increase the accuracy of color-discriminated ecophysiology, e.g., differentiation of cell viability based on cell membrane integrity, cellular respiratory activity, phylogenetically differentiated substrate utilization, and N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated cell–cell communication by bacteria while colonizing plant roots. The intensity of these ecophysiological attributes commonly varies at the individual cell level, emphasizing the importance of analyzing them at single-cell resolution and the proper spatial scale at which they occur in situ.

  19. Bacterial quorum sensing and nitrogen cycling in rhizosphere soil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeAngelis, K.M.; Lindow, S.E.; Firestone, M.K.

    2008-10-01

    Plant photosynthate fuels carbon-limited microbial growth and activity, resulting in increased rhizosphere nitrogen (N)-mineralization. Most soil organic N is macromolecular (chitin, protein, nucleotides); enzymatic depolymerization is likely rate-limiting for plant N accumulation. Analyzing Avena (wild oat) planted in microcosms containing sieved field soil, we observed increased rhizosphere chitinase and protease specific activities, bacterial cell densities, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compared to bulk soil. Low-molecular weight DON (<3000 Da) was undetectable in bulk soil but comprised 15% of rhizosphere DON. Extracellular enzyme production in many bacteria requires quorum sensing (QS), cell-density dependent group behavior. Because proteobacteria are considered major rhizosphere colonizers, we assayed the proteobacterial QS signals acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), which were significantly increased in the rhizosphere. To investigate the linkage between soil signaling and N cycling, we characterized 533 bacterial isolates from Avena rhizosphere: 24% had chitinase or protease activity and AHL production; disruption of QS in 7 of 8 eight isolates disrupted enzyme activity. Many {alpha}-Proteobacteria were newly found with QS-controlled extracellular enzyme activity. Enhanced specific activities of N-cycling enzymes accompanied by bacterial density-dependent behaviors in rhizosphere soil gives rise to the hypothesis that QS could be a control point in the complex process of rhizosphere N-mineralization.

  20. A Lux-like Quorum Sensing System in the Extreme Acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIELLA RIVAS

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The genome of the acidophilic, proteobacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, contains linked but divergently oriented genes, termed afeI and afeR, whose predicted protein products are significantly similar to the LuxI and LuxR families of proteins. A possible promoter and Lux box are predicted upstream of afeI. A cloned copy of afeI, expressed in E. coli, encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the production of a diffusible compound identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry as an unsubstituted N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL of chain length C14. This AHL can be detected by a reporter strain of Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm41 suggesting that it is biologically active. The reporter strain also responds to extracts of the supernatant of A. ferrooxidans grown to early stationary phase in sulfur medium indicating that a diffusible AHL is produced by this microorganism. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR experiments indicate that afeI and afeR are expressed maximally in early stationary phase and are more expressed when A. ferrooxidans is grown in sulfur- rather than iron-containing medium. Given the predicted amino acid sequence and functional properties of AfeI and AfeR it is proposed that A. ferrooxidans has a quorum sensing system similar to the LuxI-LuxR paradigm.

  1. Trypanocidal Activity of Smallanthus sonchifolius: Identification of Active Sesquiterpene Lactones by Bioassay-Guided Fractionation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. M. Frank

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to find novel plant-derived biologically active compounds against Trypanosoma cruzi, we isolated, from the organic extract of Smallanthus sonchifolius, the sesquiterpene lactones enhydrin (1, uvedalin (2, and polymatin B (3 by bioassay-guided fractionation technique. These compounds showed a significant trypanocidal activity against the epimastigote forms of the parasite with IC50 values of 0.84 μM (1, 1.09 μM (2, and 4.90 μM (3. After a 24 h treatment with 10 μg/mL of enhydrin or uvedalin, parasites were not able to recover their replication rate. Compounds 1 and 2 showed IC50 values of 33.4 μM and 25.0 μM against T. cruzi trypomastigotes, while polymatin B was not active. When the three compounds were tested against the intracellular forms of T. cruzi, they were able to inhibit the amastigote replication with IC50 of 5.17 μM, 3.34 μM, and 9.02 μM for 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated in Vero cells obtaining CC50 values of 46.5 μM (1, 46.8 μM (2, and 147.3 μM (3 and the selectivity index calculated. According to these results, enhydrin and uvedalin might have potentials as agents against Chagas disease and could serve as lead molecules to develop new drugs.

  2. Uptake, degradation and chiral discrimination of N-acyl-D/L-homoserine lactones by barley (Hordeum vulgare) and yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) plants

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Götz, C.; Fekete, A.; Gebefuegi, I.; Forczek, Sándor; Fuksová, Květoslava; Li, X.; Englmann, M.; Gryndler, Milan; Hartmann, A.; Matucha, Miroslav; Schmitt-Kopplin, P.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 389, č. 5 (2007), s. 1447-1457 ISSN 1618-2642 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511; CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : UPLC * FTICR-MS * tritium autoradiography Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.867, year: 2007

  3. Influence of food preservation parameters and associated microbiota on production rate, profile and stability of acylated homoserine lactones from food-derived Enterobacteriaceae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flodgaard, Lars; Christensen, Allan Beck; Molin, Søren

    2003-01-01

    by Gram-negative bacteria participating in spoilage. As part of our investigation of the role of AHLs in food quality, we studied the AHL production in two Enterobacteriaceae isolated from cold-smoked salmon under growth conditions typical of those found in cold-smoked salmon. We tested the influence......H is approximately 6 and therefore only a low degree of pH-induced turnover is expected to occur in this product. Overall, our study demonstrates that food-derived Enterobacteriaceae produce AHLs of the same type and in the same magnitude when grown under food-relevant conditions as when grown in laboratory media...

  4. Effect of oxidoreduction potential and of gas bubbling on rheological properties and microstructure of acid skim milk gels acidified with glucono-delta-lactone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, F; Cayot, N; Marin, A; Journaux, L; Cayot, P; Gervais, P; Cachon, R

    2009-12-01

    Milk oxidoreduction potential was modified using gases during the production of a model dairy product and its effect on gel setting was studied. Acidification by glucono-delta-lactone was used to examine the physicochemistry of gelation and to avoid variations due to microorganisms sensitive to oxidoreduction potential. Four conditions of oxidoreduction potential were applied to milk: milk was gassed with air, nongassed, gassed with N(2), or gassed with N(2)H(2). The rheological properties and microstructure of these gels were determined using viscoelasticimetry, measurement of whey separation, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. It appeared that a reducing environment led to less-aggregated proteins within the matrix and consequently decreased whey separation significantly. The use of gas to modify oxidoreduction potential is a possible way to improve the quality of dairy products.

  5. Characterization of the galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase from pepper fruits and its modulation in the ascorbate biosynthesis. Role of nitric oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Rodríguez-Ruiz

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Pepper fruit is one of the highest vitamin C sources of plant origin for our diet. In plants, ascorbic acid is mainly synthesized through the L-galactose pathway, being the L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH the last step. Using pepper fruits, the full GalLDH gene was cloned and the protein molecular characterization accomplished. GalLDH protein sequence (586 residues showed a 37 amino acids signal peptide at the N-terminus, characteristic of mitochondria. The hydrophobic analysis of the mature protein displayed one transmembrane helix comprising 20 amino acids at the N-terminus. By using a polyclonal antibody raised against a GalLDH internal sequence and immunoblotting analysis, a 56 kDa polypeptide cross-reacted with pepper fruit samples. Using leaves, flowers, stems and fruits, the expression of GalLDH by qRT-PCR and the enzyme activity were analyzed, and results indicate that GalLDH is a key player in the physiology of pepper plants, being possibly involved in the processes which undertake the transport of ascorbate among different organs.We also report that an NO (nitric oxide-enriched atmosphere enhanced ascorbate content in pepper fruits about 40% parallel to increased GalLDH gene expression and enzyme activity. This is the first report on the stimulating effect of NO treatment on the vitamin C concentration in plants. Accordingly, the modulation by NO of GalLDH was addressed. In vitro enzymatic assays of GalLDH were performed in the presence of SIN-1 (peroxynitrite donor and S-nitrosoglutahione (NO donor. Combined results of in vivo NO treatment and in vitro assays showed that NO provoked the regulation of GalLDH at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, but not post-translational modifications through nitration or S-nitrosylation events promoted by reactive nitrogen species (RNS took place. These results suggest that this modulation point of the ascorbate biosynthesis could be potentially used for biotechnological

  6. Block Copolymers of Macrolactones/Small Lactones by a “Catalyst-Switch” Organocatalytic Strategy. Thermal Properties and Phase Behavior

    KAUST Repository

    Ladelta, Viko

    2018-03-16

    Poly(macrolactones) (PMLs) can be considered as biodegradable alternatives of polyethylene; however, controlling the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactone (ML) monomers remains a challenge due to their low ring strain. To overcome this problem, phosphazene (t-BuP4), a strong superbase, has to be used as catalyst. Unfortunately, the one-pot sequential block copolymerization of MLs with small lactones (SLs) is impossible since the high basicity of t-BuP4 promotes both intra- and intermolecular transesterification reactions, thus leading to random copolymers. By using ROP and the “catalyst-switch” strategy [benzyl alcohol, t-BuP4/neutralization with diphenyl phosphate/(t-BuP2)], we were able to synthesize different well-defined PML-b-PSL block copolymers (MLs: dodecalactone, ω-pentadecalactone, and ω-hexadecalactone; SLs: δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone). The thermal properties and the phase behavior of these block copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. This study shows that the thermal properties and phase behavior of PMLs-b-PSLs are largely influenced by the PMLs block if PMLs components constitute the majority of the block copolymers.

  7. Block Copolymers of Macrolactones/Small Lactones by a “Catalyst-Switch” Organocatalytic Strategy. Thermal Properties and Phase Behavior

    KAUST Repository

    Ladelta, Viko; Kim, Joey D.; Bilalis, Panagiotis; Gnanou, Yves; Hadjichristidis, Nikolaos

    2018-01-01

    Poly(macrolactones) (PMLs) can be considered as biodegradable alternatives of polyethylene; however, controlling the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactone (ML) monomers remains a challenge due to their low ring strain. To overcome this problem, phosphazene (t-BuP4), a strong superbase, has to be used as catalyst. Unfortunately, the one-pot sequential block copolymerization of MLs with small lactones (SLs) is impossible since the high basicity of t-BuP4 promotes both intra- and intermolecular transesterification reactions, thus leading to random copolymers. By using ROP and the “catalyst-switch” strategy [benzyl alcohol, t-BuP4/neutralization with diphenyl phosphate/(t-BuP2)], we were able to synthesize different well-defined PML-b-PSL block copolymers (MLs: dodecalactone, ω-pentadecalactone, and ω-hexadecalactone; SLs: δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone). The thermal properties and the phase behavior of these block copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. This study shows that the thermal properties and phase behavior of PMLs-b-PSLs are largely influenced by the PMLs block if PMLs components constitute the majority of the block copolymers.

  8. Survey of pyrethroid, macrocyclic lactone and antibacterial residues in bulk milk tank from Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidia C.A. Picinin

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: A survey of veterinary drug residues in bulk milk tank from Minas Gerais State, Brazil, was carried out through a broad scope analysis. Here, 132 raw milk samples were collected at 45 dairy farms in Minas Gerais from August 2009 to February 2010, and analyzed for 42 analytes, comprising pyrethroids, macrocyclic lactones and antibacterials, using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry in tandem mode and gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Within all milk samples, at least one veterinary drug residue was identified in 40 milk samples (30.30% by confirmatory tests, whereas 16 samples (12.12% showed the presence of at least two residues. With regard to the Brazilian maximum residue levels, 11 milk samples (8.33% were non-compliant according to Brazilian Legislation. The veterinary drugs detected in the non-compliant milk samples include penicillin V (one sample, abamectin (one sample and cypermethrin (nine samples. Furthermore, the antibacterial screening methods failed to identify most of the positive samples that were detected by confirmatory tests, leading to a large discrepancy between the screening and confirmatory antimicrobial tests. Thus, the present study indicated that the veterinary drugs residues still represents a great concern for the milk production chain.

  9. Disintegration of collagen fibrils by Glucono-δ-lactone: An implied lead for disintegration of fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayamani, Jayaraman; Ravikanth Reddy, R; Madhan, Balaraman; Shanmugam, Ganesh

    2018-02-01

    Excess accumulation of collagen (fibrosis) undergoes self-aggregation, which leads to fibrillar collagen, on the extracellular matrix is the hallmark of a number of diseases such as keloids, hypertrophic scars, and systemic scleroderma. Direct inhibition or disintegration of collagen fibrils by small molecules offer a therapeutic approach to prevent or treat the diseases related to fibrosis. Herein, the anti-fibrotic property of Glucono-δ-lactone (GdL), known as acidifier, on the fibrillation and its disintegration of collagen was investigated. As collagen fibrillation is pH dependent, the pH modulation property of GdL is attractive to inhibit self-association of collagen. Optical density and microscopic data indicate that GdL elicits concentration-dependent fibril inhibition and also disintegrates pre-formed collagen fibrils. The simultaneous pH analysis showed that the modulation(lowering) of pH by GdL is the primary cause for its anti-fibrotic activity. The intact triple helical structure of collagen upon treatment of GdL suggests that collagen fibril disintegration can be achieved without affecting the native structure of collagen which is essential for any anti-fibrotic agents. Saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR result reveals that GdL is in proximity to collagen. The present results thus suggest that GdL provides a lead to design novel anti-fibrotic agents for the pathologies related to collagen deposition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Skin penetration behaviour of sesquiterpene lactones from different Arnica preparations using a validated GC-MSD method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Steffen; Merfort, Irmgard

    2007-01-04

    Preparations of Arnica montana L. are widely used for the topical treatment of inflammatory diseases. The anti-inflammatory activity is mainly attributed to their sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) from the helenalin and 11alpha,13-dihydrohelenalin type. To study the penetration kinetics of SLs in Arnica preparations, a stripping method with adhesive tape and pig skin as a model was used. For the determination of SLs in the stripped layers of the stratum corneum (SC), a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method was developed and validated. Thereby the amount of helenalin derivatives was calculated as helenalin isobutyrate, and 11alpha,13-dihydrohelenalin derivatives as 11alpha,13-dihydrohelenalin methacrylate. This GC-MSD method is suitable also to determine low amounts of SLs in Arnica preparations. The penetration behaviour of one gel preparation and two ointment preparations was investigated. The SLs of all preparations show a comparable penetration in and a permeation through the stratum corneum, the uppermost part of the skin. Interestingly, the gel preparation showed a decrease of the penetration rate over 4h, whereas the penetration rate of ointments kept constant over time. Moreover, we could demonstrate that the totally penetrated amount of SLs only depends on the kind of the formulation and of the SLs-content in the formulation but not on the SLs composition or on the used extraction agent.

  11. Protein design and engineering of a de novo pathway for microbial production of 1,3-propanediol from glucose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhen; Geng, Feng; Zeng, An-Ping

    2015-02-01

    Protein engineering to expand the substrate spectrum of native enzymes opens new possibilities for bioproduction of valuable chemicals from non-natural pathways. No natural microorganism can directly use sugars to produce 1,3-propanediol (PDO). Here, we present a de novo route for the biosynthesis of PDO from sugar, which may overcome the mentioned limitations by expanding the homoserine synthesis pathway. The accomplishment of pathway from homoserine to PDO is achieved by protein engineering of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and pyruvate decarboxylase to sequentially convert homoserine to 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate and 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde. The latter is finally converted to PDO by using a native alcohol dehydrogenase. In this work, we report on experimental accomplishment of this non-natural pathway, especially by protein engineering of GDH for the key step of converting homoserine to 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate. These results show the feasibility and significance of protein engineering for de novo pathway design and overproduction of desired industrial products. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Influence of cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone ofCentaurea maculosa (Asteraceae), on specialist and generalist insect herbivores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landau, I; Müller-Schärer, H; Ward, P I

    1994-04-01

    The sesquiterpene lactone cnicin was extracted fromCentaurea maculosa andCentaurea vallesiaca. We examined its effects on the ovipositional response and larval development of generalist and specialist insect herbivores associated withC. maculosa. For the oviposition trials, three plant species (C. maculosa, Achillea millefolium, andCichorium intybus), half of which were sprayed with 3% of cnicin, were exposed to the specialist mothsStenodes straminea, Agapeta zoegana, andPterolonche inspersa in field cages. All three species significantly preferredC. maculosa to other plants andP. inspersa significantly preferred cnicin-sprayed plants to untreated plants for oviposition. Tested over all species, cnicin significantly increased the number of eggs laid on a given plant. A larval diet test examined the toxicity of cnicin for larvae of the generalist noctuid mothSpodoptera littoralis. Cnicin concentrations of 3% and 6% were lethal and 1% and 0.5% seriously inhibited growth and development. The larvae of theC. maculosa specialistStenodes straminea survived at 6% cnicin, but none of the pupae hatched.Agapeta zoegana was able to survive at 1% and 3% cnicin. Both specialists had difficulties with the artificial diet, but weight increase and survival was not further reduced when cnicin was present compared with on the control diet. In conclusion, cnicin influenced host recognition by the specialist species, and larvae of the generalist did not survive on natural levels of cnicin. Growth and survival of the specialist were not influenced by cnicin but were considerably hampered on artificial diet.

  13. Determination of D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone from brewed kombucha broth by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kan; Gan, Xuhua; Tang, Xinyun; Wang, Shuo; Tan, Huarong

    2010-02-01

    Kombucha is a health tonic. D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone (DSL), a component of kombucha, inhibits the activity of glucuronidase, an enzyme indirectly related with cancers. To date, there is no efficient method to determine the content of DSL in kombucha samples. In this paper, we report a rapid and simple method for the separation and determination of DSL in kombucha samples, using the high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method with diode array detection (DAD). With optimized conditions, DSL can be separated in a 50 cm length capillary at a separation voltage of 20 kV in 40 mmol/L borax buffer (pH 6.5) containing 30 mmol/L SDS and 15% methanol (v/v). Quantitative evaluation of DSL was determined by ultraviolet absorption at lambda=190 nm. The relationship between the peak areas and the DSL concentrations, in a specified working range with linear response, was determined by first-order polynomial regression over the range 50-1500 microg/mL with a detection limit of 17.5 microg/mL. Our method demonstrated excellent reproducibility and accuracy with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 5% DSL content (n=5). This is the first report to determine DSL by HPCE. We have successfully applied this method to determine DSL in kombucha samples in various fermented conditions. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. A combination of luxR1 and luxR2 genes activates Pr-promoters of psychrophilic Aliivibrio logei lux-operon independently of chaperonin GroEL/ES and protease Lon at high concentrations of autoinducer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konopleva, Maria N; Khrulnova, Svetlana A; Baranova, Ancha; Ekimov, Leonid V; Bazhenov, Sergey V; Goryanin, Ignatiy I; Manukhov, Ilya V

    2016-05-13

    Lux-operon of psychrophilic bacteria Aliivibrio logei contains two copies of luxR and is regulated by Type I quorum sensing (QS). Activation of lux-operon of psychrophilic bacteria A. logei by LuxR1 requires about 100 times higher concentrations of autoinducer (AI) than the activation by LuxR2. On the other hand, LuxR1 does not require GroEL/ES chaperonin for its folding and cannot be degraded by protease Lon, while LuxR2 sensitive to Lon and requires GroEL/ES. Here we show that at 10(-5) - 10(-4)М concentrations of AI a combination of luxR1 and luxR2 products is capable of activating the Pr-promoters of A. logei lux-operon in Escherichia coli independently of GroEL/ES and protease Lon. The presence of LuxR1 assists LuxR2 in gro(-) cells when AI was added at high concentration, while at low concentration of AI in a cell LuxR1 decreases the LuxR2 activity. These observations may be explained by the formation of LuxR1/LuxR2 heterodimers that act in complex with AI independently from GroEL/ES and protease Lon. This study expands current understanding of QS regulation in A. logei as it implies cooperative regulation of lux-operon by LuxR1 and LuxR2 proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Catalytic Characteristics of New Antibacterials Based on Hexahistidine-Containing Organophosphorus Hydrolase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Maslova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Catalytic characteristics of hexahistidine-containing organophosphorus hydrolase (His6-OPH and its enzyme-polyelectrolyte complexes with poly-l-glutamic acid or poly-l-aspartic acid (His6-OPH/PLD50, hydrolyzing organophosphorous compounds, and N-acyl homoserine lactones were studied in the presence of various antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and rifampicin. The antibiotics at concentrations below 1 g·L−1 had a negligible inhibiting effect on the His6-OPH activity. Mixed inhibition of His6-OPH was established for higher antibiotic concentrations, and rifampicin was the most potent inhibitor. Stabilization of the His6-OPH activity was observed in the presence of antibiotics at a concentration of 0.2 g·L−1 during exposure at 25–41 °C. Molecular docking of antibiotics to the surface of His6-OPH dimer revealed the antibiotics binding both to the area near active centers of the enzyme subunits and to the region of contact between subunits of the dimer. Such interactions between antibiotics and His6-OPH were verified with Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy. Considering all the results of the study, the combination of His6-OPH/PLD50 with β-lactam antibiotic ampicillin was established as the optimal one in terms of exhibition and persistence of maximal lactonase activity of the enzyme.

  16. Effect of quorum sensing signals produced by seaweed-associated bacteria on carpospore liberation from Gracilaria dura

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravindra Pal Singh

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Epiphytic and endophytic bacteria associated with green macroalgae Ulva (U. fasciata and U. lactuca and red macroalgae Gracilaria (G. corticata and G. dura have been identified from three different seasons to evaluate the effect of quorum sensing molecules on carpospores liberation from Gracilaria dura. The bacterial isolates belonging to the orders Bacillales, Pseudomonadales, Alteromonadales and Vibrionales were present in all seasons, whereas Actinomycetales and Enterobacteriales were confined to pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. Among all the Gram-negative bacteria, seven isolates were found to produce different types of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs. Interestingly, Shewanella algae produced five types of AHL: C4-HSL, HC4-HSL, C6-HSL, 3-oxo-C6-HSL and 3-oxo-C12-HSL. Subsequently, the AHLs producing bacterial isolates were screened for carpospore liberation from G. dura and these isolates were found to positively induce carpospore liberation over the control. Also, observed that carpospore liberation increased significantly in C4- and C6-HSL treated cystocarps. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the total protein of the C4- and C6-HSL-treated cystocarps showed two specific peptide bands of different molecular weights (50 kDa and 60 kDa as compared to the control, confirming their indirect effect on carpospore liberation.

  17. Genome Sequencing of a Mung Bean Plant Growth Promoting Strain of P. aeruginosa with Biocontrol Ability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devaraj Illakkiam

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 is a mung bean rhizosphere strain that produces secondary metabolites and hydrolytic enzymes contributing to excellent antifungal activity against Macrophomina phaseolina, one of the prevalent fungal pathogens of mung bean. Genome sequencing was performed using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine generating 1,354,732 reads (6,772,433 sequenced bases achieving ~25-fold coverage of the genome. Reference genome assembly using MIRA 3.4.0 yielded 198 contigs. The draft genome of PGPR2 encoded 6803 open reading frames, of which 5314 were genes with predicted functions, 1489 were genes of known functions, and 80 were RNA-coding genes. Strain specific and core genes of P. aeruginosa PGPR2 that are relevant to rhizospheric habitat were identified by pangenome analysis. Genes involved in plant growth promoting function such as synthesis of ACC deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid, trehalose, mineral scavenging siderophores, hydrogen cyanide, chitinases, acyl homoserine lactones, acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, and phytases were identified. In addition, niche-specific genes such as phosphate solubilising 3-phytase, adhesins, pathway-specific transcriptional regulators, a diguanylate cyclase involved in cellulose synthesis, a receptor for ferrienterochelin, a DEAD/DEAH-box helicase involved in stress tolerance, chemotaxis/motility determinants, an HtpX protease, and enzymes involved in the production of a chromanone derivative with potent antifungal activity were identified.

  18. The RNA chaperone, Hfq, controls two luxR-type regulators and plays a key role in pathogenesis and production of antibiotics in Serratia sp. ATCC 39006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilf, Nabil M; Williamson, Neil R; Ramsay, Joshua P; Poulter, Simon; Bandyra, Kasia J; Salmond, George P C

    2011-10-01

    Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 (S39006) is a Gram-negative bacterium that is virulent in plant (potato) and animal (Caenorhabditis elegans) models. It produces two secondary metabolite antibiotics, a prodigiosin and a carbapenem, and the exoenzymes, pectate lyase and cellulase. A complex regulatory network that includes quorum sensing (QS) controls production of prodigiosin. While many aspects of the regulation of the metabolites and exoenzymes are well understood, the potential role in this network of the RNA chaperone Hfq and dependent small regulatory RNAs has not been characterized. Hfq is an RNA chaperone involved in post-transcriptional regulation that plays a key role in stress response and virulence in diverse bacterial species. To explore whether Hfq-dependent processes might contribute to the regulation of antibiotic production we constructed an S39006 Δhfq mutant. Production of prodigiosin and carbapenem was abolished in this mutant strain, while production of the QS signalling molecule, butanoyl homoserine lactone (BHL), was unaffected. Using transcriptional fusions, we found that Hfq regulates the QS response regulators, SmaR and CarR. Additionally, exoenzyme production and swimming motility were decreased in a Δhfq mutant, and virulence was attenuated in potato and C. elegans models. These results suggest that an Hfq-dependent pathway is involved in the regulation of virulence and secondary metabolite production in S39006. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Quantifying the strength of quorum sensing crosstalk within microbial communities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalinga Pavan T Silva

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available In multispecies microbial communities, the exchange of signals such as acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL enables communication within and between species of Gram-negative bacteria. This process, commonly known as quorum sensing, aids in the regulation of genes crucial for the survival of species within heterogeneous populations of microbes. Although signal exchange was studied extensively in well-mixed environments, less is known about the consequences of crosstalk in spatially distributed mixtures of species. Here, signaling dynamics were measured in a spatially distributed system containing multiple strains utilizing homologous signaling systems. Crosstalk between strains containing the lux, las and rhl AHL-receptor circuits was quantified. In a distributed population of microbes, the impact of community composition on spatio-temporal dynamics was characterized and compared to simulation results using a modified reaction-diffusion model. After introducing a single term to account for crosstalk between each pair of signals, the model was able to reproduce the activation patterns observed in experiments. We quantified the robustness of signal propagation in the presence of interacting signals, finding that signaling dynamics are largely robust to interference. The ability of several wild isolates to participate in AHL-mediated signaling was investigated, revealing distinct signatures of crosstalk for each species. Our results present a route to characterize crosstalk between species and predict systems-level signaling dynamics in multispecies communities.

  20. Quorum quenching bacteria protect Macrobrachium rosenbergii larvae from Vibrio harveyi infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nhan, D T; Cam, D T V; Wille, M; Defoirdt, T; Bossier, P; Sorgeloos, P

    2010-09-01

    In this study, we investigated the effect of N-acyl homoserine lactone-degrading bacterial enrichment cultures (ECs) on larviculture of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The larval performance in terms of larval growth, larval survival, larval quality, duration of the larval rearing process and microflora levels in the rearing water as well as inside the prawn gut was investigated. The application of the EC bacteria was performed in two ways: by adding them directly into the larval rearing water and via enriched Artemia nauplii used for larval feeding. The results of the study demonstrated that both ECs that were tested had a similar positive effect on larval survival and larval quality, whereas they did not affect larval growth or the duration of the larval rearing process. Under normal hatchery conditions, the optimal EC densities were found to be 10(6) CFU ml(-1) for adding into the rearing water and 5 × 10(8) CFU ml(-1) for enrichment of Artemia nauplii used for feeding of the larvae. In the hatchery, the ECs can be grown on waste streams of Artemia hatching. Application of this kind of ECs could lead to a more sustainable aquaculture production, by replacing the use of antibiotics to control diseases. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Essential roles and regulation of the Legionella pneumophila collagen-like adhesin during biofilm formation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Mallegol

    Full Text Available Legionellosis is mostly caused by Legionella pneumophila (Lp and is defined by a severe respiratory illness with a case fatality rate ranging from 5 to 80%. In a previous study, we showed that a glycosaminoglycan (GAG-binding adhesin of Lp, named Lcl, is produced during legionellosis and is unique to the L. pneumophila species. Importantly, a mutant depleted in Lcl (Δlpg2644 is impaired in adhesion to GAGs and epithelial cells and in biofilm formation. Here, we examine the molecular function(s of Lcl and the transcriptional regulation of its encoding gene during different stages of the biofilm development. We show that the collagen repeats and the C-terminal domains of Lcl are crucial for the production of biofilm. We present evidence that Lcl is involved in the early step of surface attachment but also in intercellular interactions. Furthermore, we address the relationship between Lcl gene regulation during biofilm formation and quorum sensing (QS. In a static biofilm assay, we show that Lcl is differentially regulated during growth phases and biofilm formation. Moreover, we show that the transcriptional regulation of lpg2644, mediated by a prototype of QS signaling homoserine lactone (3OC12-HSL, may play a role during the biofilm development. Thus, transcriptional down-regulation of lpg2644 may facilitate the dispersion of Lp to reinitiate biofilm colonization on a distal surface.

  2. Investigation of the Genetics and Biochemistry of Roseobacticide Production in the Roseobacter Clade Bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rurun Wang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Roseobacter clade bacteria are abundant in surface waters and are among the most metabolically diverse and ecologically significant species. This group includes opportunistic symbionts that associate with micro- and macroalgae. We have proposed that one representative member, Phaeobacter inhibens, engages in a dynamic symbiosis with the microalga Emiliania huxleyi. In one phase, mutualistically beneficial molecules are exchanged, including the Roseobacter-produced antibiotic tropodithietic acid (TDA, which is thought to protect the symbiotic interaction. In an alternative parasitic phase, triggered by algal senescence, the bacteria produce potent algaecides, the roseobacticides, which kill the algal host. Here, we employed genetic and biochemical screens to identify the roseobacticide biosynthetic gene cluster. By using a transposon mutagenesis approach, we found that genes required for TDA synthesis—the tda operon and paa catabolon—are also necessary for roseobacticide production. Thus, in contrast to the one-cluster–one-compound paradigm, the tda gene cluster can generate two sets of molecules with distinct structures and bioactivities. We further show that roseobacticide production is quorum sensing regulated via an N-acyl homoserine lactone signal (3-OH–C10-HSL. To ensure tight regulation of algaecide production, and thus of a lifestyle switch from mutualism to parasitism, roseobacticide biosynthesis necessitates the presence of both an algal senescence molecule and a quorum sensing signal.

  3. Use of Whole-Cell Bioassays for Screening Quorum Signaling, Quorum Interference, and Biofilm Dispersion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornhill, Starla G; McLean, Robert J C

    2018-01-01

    In most bacteria, a global level of regulation, termed quorum sensing (QS), exists involving intercellular communication via the production and response to cell density-dependent signal molecules. QS has been associated with a number of important features in bacteria including virulence regulation and biofilm formation. Consequently, there is considerable interest in understanding, detecting, and inhibiting QS. N-acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) are used as extracellular QS signals by a variety of Gram-negative bacteria. Chromobacterium violaceum, commonly found in soil and water, produces the characteristic purple pigment violacein, regulated by AHL-mediated QS. Based on this readily observed pigmentation phenotype, C. violaceum strains can be used to detect various aspects of AHL-mediated QS activity. In another commonly used bioassay organism, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, QS can be detected by the use of a reporter gene such as lacZ. Here, we describe several commonly used approaches incorporating C. violaceum and A. tumefaciens that can be used to detect AHL and QS inhibitors. Due to the inherent low susceptibility of biofilm bacteria to antimicrobial agents, biofilm dispersion, whereby bacteria reenter the planktonic community, is another increasingly important area of research. At least one signal, distinct from traditional QS, has been identified and there are a variety of other environmental factors that also trigger dispersion. We describe a microtiter-based experimental strategy whereby potential biofilm dispersion compounds can be screened.

  4. Burkholderia glumae: next major pathogen of rice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ham, Jong Hyun; Melanson, Rebecca A; Rush, Milton C

    2011-05-01

    Burkholderia glumae causes bacterial panicle blight of rice, which is an increasingly important disease problem in global rice production. Toxoflavin and lipase are known to be major virulence factors of this pathogen, and their production is dependent on the TofI/TofR quorum-sensing system, which is mediated by N-octanoyl homoserine lactone. Flagellar biogenesis and a type III secretion system are also required for full virulence of B. glumae. Bacterial panicle blight is thought to be caused by seed-borne B. glumae; however, its disease cycle is not fully understood. In spite of its economic importance, neither effective control measures for bacterial panicle blight nor rice varieties showing complete resistance to the disease are currently available. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying B. glumae virulence and of the rice defence mechanisms against the pathogen would lead to the development of better methods of disease control for bacterial panicle blight. Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Betaproteobacteria; Burkholderiales; Burkholderiaceae; Burkholderia. Gram-negative, capsulated, motile, lophotrichous flagella, pectolytic. Aborted seed, empty grains as a result of failure of grain filling, brown spots on panicles, seedling rot. Seed sterilization, planting partially resistant lines (no completely resistant line is available). KNOWN VIRULENCE FACTORS: Toxoflavin, lipase, type III effectors. © 2010 LSU AGCENTER. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY © 2010 BSPP AND BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD.

  5. D-Saccharic acid 1,4-lactone protects diabetic rat kidney by ameliorating hyperglycemia-mediated oxidative stress and renal inflammatory cytokines via NF-κB and PKC signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharya, Semantee [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja S C Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Manna, Prasenjit [Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Scheme VII M, Kolkata-700054 (India); Gachhui, Ratan [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja S C Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Sil, Parames C., E-mail: parames@bosemain.boseinst.ac.in [Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Scheme VII M, Kolkata-700054 (India)

    2013-02-15

    Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and this can be attenuated by antioxidants. D-Saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (DSL) is known for its detoxifying and antioxidant properties. Our early investigation showed that DSL can ameliorate alloxan (ALX) induced diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress in rats by inhibiting pancreatic β-cell apoptosis. In the present study we, therefore, investigated the protective role of DSL against renal injury in ALX induced diabetic rats. ALX exposure (at a dose of 120 mg/kg body weight, i. p., once) elevated the blood glucose level, serum markers related to renal injury, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and disturbed the intra-cellular antioxidant machineries. Oral administration of DSL (80 mg/kg body weight) restored all these alterations close to normal. In addition, DSL could also normalize the aldose reductase activity which was found to increase in the diabetic rats. Investigating the mechanism of its protective activity, we observed the activation of different isoforms of PKC along with the accumulation of matrix proteins like collagen and fibronectin. The diabetic rats also showed nuclear translocation of NF-κB and increase in the concentration of inflammatory cytokines in the renal tissue. The activation of mitochondria dependent apoptotic pathway was observed in the diabetic rat kidneys. However, treatment of diabetic rats with DSL counteracted all these changes. These findings, for the first time, demonstrated that DSL could ameliorate renal dysfunction in diabetic rats by suppressing the oxidative stress related signalling pathways. - Highlights: ► Sustained hyperglycemia and oxidative stress lead to diabetic renal injury. ► D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone prevents renal damage in alloxan-induced diabetes. ► It restores intra-cellular antioxidant machineries and kidney apoptosis. ► DSL reduces hyperglycemia-mediated oxidative stress

  6. D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone ameliorates alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress in rats through inhibiting pancreatic beta-cells from apoptosis via mitochondrial dependent pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharya, Semantee [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja S C Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Manna, Prasenjit [Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Scheme VII M, Kolkata-700054 (India); Gachhui, Ratan [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja S C Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Sil, Parames C., E-mail: parames@bosemain.boseinst.ac.in [Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Scheme VII M, Kolkata-700054 (India)

    2011-12-15

    Oxidative stress plays a vital role in diabetic complications. To suppress the oxidative stress mediated damage in diabetic pathophysiology, a special focus has been given on naturally occurring antioxidants present in normal diet. D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (DSL), a derivative of D-glucaric acid, is present in many dietary plants and is known for its detoxifying and antioxidant properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial role of DSL against alloxan (ALX) induced diabetes in the pancreas tissue of Swiss albino rats. A dose-dependent study for DSL (20-120 mg/kg body weight) was carried out to find the effective dose of the compound in ALX-induced diabetic rats. ALX exposure elevated the blood glucose, glycosylated Hb, decreased the plasma insulin and disturbed the intra-cellular antioxidant machineries whereas oral administration of DSL at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight restored these alterations close to normal. Investigating the mechanism of the protective activity of DSL we observed that it prevented the pancreatic {beta}-cell apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent pathway. Results showed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced cytochrome c release in the cytosol and reciprocal regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins in the diabetic rats. These events were also found to be associated with increased level of Apaf-1, caspase 9, and caspase 3 that ultimately led to pancreatic {beta}-cell apoptosis. DSL treatment, however, counteracted these changes. In conclusion, DSL possesses the capability of ameliorating the oxidative stress in ALX-induced diabetes and thus could be a promising approach in lessening diabetic complications. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Oxidative stress is suggested as a key event in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (DSL) reduces the alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer DSL normalizes cellular antioxidant machineries

  7. D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone ameliorates alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress in rats through inhibiting pancreatic beta-cells from apoptosis via mitochondrial dependent pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharya, Semantee; Manna, Prasenjit; Gachhui, Ratan; Sil, Parames C.

    2011-01-01

    Oxidative stress plays a vital role in diabetic complications. To suppress the oxidative stress mediated damage in diabetic pathophysiology, a special focus has been given on naturally occurring antioxidants present in normal diet. D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (DSL), a derivative of D-glucaric acid, is present in many dietary plants and is known for its detoxifying and antioxidant properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial role of DSL against alloxan (ALX) induced diabetes in the pancreas tissue of Swiss albino rats. A dose-dependent study for DSL (20–120 mg/kg body weight) was carried out to find the effective dose of the compound in ALX-induced diabetic rats. ALX exposure elevated the blood glucose, glycosylated Hb, decreased the plasma insulin and disturbed the intra-cellular antioxidant machineries whereas oral administration of DSL at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight restored these alterations close to normal. Investigating the mechanism of the protective activity of DSL we observed that it prevented the pancreatic β-cell apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent pathway. Results showed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced cytochrome c release in the cytosol and reciprocal regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins in the diabetic rats. These events were also found to be associated with increased level of Apaf-1, caspase 9, and caspase 3 that ultimately led to pancreatic β-cell apoptosis. DSL treatment, however, counteracted these changes. In conclusion, DSL possesses the capability of ameliorating the oxidative stress in ALX-induced diabetes and thus could be a promising approach in lessening diabetic complications. Highlights: ► Oxidative stress is suggested as a key event in the pathogenesis of diabetes. ► D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (DSL) reduces the alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus. ► DSL normalizes cellular antioxidant machineries disturbed due to alloxan toxicity. ► DSL inhibits pancreatic β-cells apoptosis

  8. Analysis of S-methylmethionine and S-adenosylmethionine in plant tissue by a dansylation, Dual-isotope method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Macnicol, P.K.

    1986-01-01

    A method is presented for determining the levels of S-methylmethionine (MeMet) and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in the same plant tissue sample, utilizing readily available equipment. The bottom limit of sensitivity, ca. 100 pmol, can be lowered if required. A trichloracetic acid homogenate of the tissue is supplemented with [carboxyl- 14 C]MeMet and [carboxyl- 14 C]AdoMet. After separation of MeMet and AdoMet from each other and from endogenous homoserine on a phosphocellulose column, the two fractions are heat treated at appropriate pH values to liberate [ 14 C]homoserine. Quantitation is via the 3 H/ 14 C ratio of [ 3 H]dansyl-[ 14 C]homoserine isolated by thin-layer chromatography. The method is validated with pea cotyledon, corn root, and cauliflower leaf

  9. Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis of Chiral Epoxides Ethyl and Methyl (S-3-(Oxiran-2-ylpropanoates from Renewable Levoglucosenone: An Access to Enantiopure (S-Dairy Lactone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurélien A. M. Peru

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Chiral epoxides—such as ethyl and methyl (S-3-(oxiran-2-ylpropanoates ((S-1a/1b—are valuable precursors in many chemical syntheses. Until recently, these compounds were synthesized from glutamic acid in four steps (deamination, reduction, tosylation and epoxide formation in low to moderate overall yield (20%–50%. Moreover, this procedure requires some harmful reagents such as sodium nitrite ((ecotoxic and borane (carcinogen. Herein, starting from levoglucosenone (LGO, a biobased chiral compound obtained through the flash pyrolysis of acidified cellulose, we propose a safer and more sustainable chemo-enzymatic synthetic pathway involving lipase-mediated Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation, tosylation and treatment with sodium ethoxide/methoxide as key steps. This route afforded ethyl and methyl (S-3-(oxiran-2-ylpropanoates in 57% overall yield, respectively. To demonstrate the potentiality of this new synthetic pathway from LGO, the synthesis of high value-added (S-dairy lactone was undertaken from these epoxides and provided the target in 37% overall yield from LGO.

  10. Insights into the Quorum Sensing Regulon of the Acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Revealed by Transcriptomic in the Presence of an Acyl Homoserine Lactone Superagonist Analogue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigde Mamani

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available While a functional quorum sensing system has been identified in the acidophilic chemolithoautotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270T and shown to modulate cell adhesion to solid substrates, nothing is known about the genes it regulates. To address the question of how quorum sensing controls biofilm formation in At. ferrooxidansT, the transcriptome of this organism in conditions in which quorum sensing response is stimulated by a synthetic superagonist AHL analogue has been studied. First, the effect on biofilm formation of a synthetic AHL tetrazolic analogue, tetrazole 9c, known for its agonistic QS activity, was assessed by fluorescence and electron microscopy experiments. A faster adherence of At. ferrooxidansT cells on sulfur coupons was observed. Then, tetrazole 9c was used in DNA microarray experiments that allowed the identification of genes regulated by quorum sensing signalling, and more particularly, those involved in early biofilm formation. Interestingly, afeI gene, encoding the AHL synthase, but not the At. ferrooxidans quorum sensing transcriptional regulator AfeR encoding gene, was shown to be regulated by quorum sensing. Data indicated that QS network represents at least 4.5 % (141 genes of the ATCC 23270T genome of which 42.5 % (60 genes are related to biofilm formation. Finally, AfeR was shown to bind specifically to the regulatory region of the afeI gene at the level of the palindromic sequence predicted to be the AfeR binding site. Our results give new insights on the response of At. ferrooxidans to quorum sensing and on biofilm biogenesis, opening new biological/chemical alternatives for bioleaching development and managing acid Mine/Rock drainage environmental damages.

  11. SdiA, an N-acylhomoserine lactone receptor, becomes active during the transit of Salmonella enterica through the gastrointestinal tract of turtles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenee N Smith

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available LuxR-type transcription factors are typically used by bacteria to determine the population density of their own species by detecting N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs. However, while Escherichia and Salmonella encode a LuxR-type AHL receptor, SdiA, they cannot synthesize AHLs. In vitro, it is known that SdiA can detect AHLs produced by other bacterial species.In this report, we tested the hypothesis that SdiA detects the AHL-production of other bacterial species within the animal host. SdiA did not detect AHLs during the transit of Salmonella through the gastrointestinal tract of a guinea pig, a rabbit, a cow, 5 mice, 6 pigs, or 12 chickens. However, SdiA was activated during the transit of Salmonella through turtles. All turtles examined were colonized by the AHL-producing species Aeromonas hydrophila.We conclude that the normal gastrointestinal microbiota of most animal species do not produce AHLs of the correct type, in an appropriate location, or in sufficient quantities to activate SdiA. However, the results obtained with turtles represent the first demonstration of SdiA activity in animals.

  12. Analysis of S-methylmethionine and S-adenosylmethionine in plant tissue by a dansylation, Dual-isotope method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Macnicol, P.K.

    1986-10-01

    A method is presented for determining the levels of S-methylmethionine (MeMet) and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in the same plant tissue sample, utilizing readily available equipment. The bottom limit of sensitivity, ca. 100 pmol, can be lowered if required. A trichloracetic acid homogenate of the tissue is supplemented with (carboxyl-/sup 14/C)MeMet and (carboxyl-/sup 14/C)AdoMet. After separation of MeMet and AdoMet from each other and from endogenous homoserine on a phosphocellulose column, the two fractions are heat treated at appropriate pH values to liberate (/sup 14/C)homoserine. Quantitation is via the /sup 3/H//sup 14/C ratio of (/sup 3/H)dansyl-(/sup 14/C)homoserine isolated by thin-layer chromatography. The method is validated with pea cotyledon, corn root, and cauliflower leaf.

  13. Identification and purification of O-acetyl-L-serine sulphhydrylase in Penicillium chrysogenum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    østergaard, Simon; Theilgaard, Hanne Birgitte; Nielsen, Jens Bredal

    1998-01-01

    We have demonstrated that Penicillium chrysogenum possesses the L-cysteine biosynthetic enzyme O-acetyI-L-serine sulphhydrylase (EC 4.2.99.8) of the direct sulphhydrylation pathway. The finding of this enzyme, and thus the presence of the direct sulphhydrylation pathway in P. chrysogenum, creates...... the potential for increasing the overall yield in penicillin production by enhancing the enzymatic activity of this microorganism. Only O-acetyl-L-serine sulphhydrylase and O-acetyl-L-homoserine sulphhydrylase (EC 4.2.99.10) have been demonstrated to use O-acetyl-L-serine as substrate for the formation of L-cysteine....... The purified enzyme did not catalyse the formation of L-homocysteine from O-acetyl-L-homoserine and sulphide, excluding the possibility that the purified enzyme was O-acetyI-L-homoserine sulphhydrylase with multiple substrate specificity. The purification enhanced the enzymatic specific activity 93-fold...

  14. Development of an in vitro bioassay for measuring susceptibility to macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics in Dirofilaria immitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Christopher C; Moorhead, Andrew R; Storey, Bobby E; Wolstenholme, Adrian J; Kaplan, Ray M

    2013-12-01

    For more than 20 years, anthelmintics of the macrocyclic lactone (ML) drug class have been widely and effectively used as preventives against the canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis. However, in recent years an increased number of lack of efficacy (LOE) cases are being reported, in which dogs develop mature heartworm infections despite receiving monthly prophylactic doses of ML drugs. While this situation is raising concerns that heartworms may be developing resistance to MLs, compelling evidence for this is still lacking. Resolution of this dilemma requires validated biological or molecular diagnostic assays, but, unfortunately, no such tests currently exist. To address this need, we developed and optimized a larval migration inhibition assay (LMIA) for use with D. immitis third-stage larvae. The LMIA was used to measure the in vitro dose-response of two ML drugs (ivermectin and eprinomectin) on a known ML-susceptible laboratory strain of D. immitis. A nonlinear regression model was fit to the dose-response data, from which IC50 values were calculated; the mean IC50 and 95% confidence interval for IVM was 4.56 μM (1.26-16.4 μM), greater than that for EPR at 2.02 μM (1.68-2.42 μM), and this difference was significant (p = 0.0428). The R (2) value for EPR assays (0.90) was also greater than that for IVM treatment (0.71). The consistency and reproducibility of the dose-response data obtained with this assay suggests that it may be a useful technique for investigating the relative susceptibilities to ML drugs in other D. immitis populations.

  15. Bioactive phenylpropanoid analogues from Piper betle L. var. birkoli leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atiya, Akhtar; Sinha, Barij Nayan; Lal, Uma Ranjan

    2017-11-01

    Phytochemical analyses of the chloroform extract of Piper betle L. var. birkoli, Piperaceae, leaves led to the isolation of two new phenylpropanoid analogues: bis-chavicol dodecanoyl ester (2) and bis-hydroxychavicol dodecanoyl ester (3), along with one known compound: allyl-3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzene (1) on the basis of spectroscopic data 1D ( 1 H and 13 C) and 2D ( 1 H- 1 H COSY and HMBC) NMR, as well as ESI-MS, FT-IR, HR-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS. Compound 2 and 3 exhibited excellent antioxidant DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC 50 values of 12.67 μg/mL and 1.08 μg/mL compared to ascorbic acid as a standard antioxidant drug with IC 50 value of 6.60 μg/mL. Evaluation of cytotoxic activity against two human oral cancer cell lines (AW13516 and AW8507) showed significant effect with GI 50 values of 19.61 and 23.01 μg/mL for compound 2 and 10.25 and 13.12 μg/mL for compound 3, compared to Doxorubicin ® as a standard cytotoxic drug with GI 50 value of < 10 μg/mL.

  16. Synthesis of novel {sup 68}Ga-labeled amino acid derivatives for positron emission tomography of cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shetty, Dinesh [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Radiation Applied Life Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Jae Min, E-mail: jmjng@snu.ac.k [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Radiation Applied Life Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Ju, Chang Hwan [Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yun-Sang [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Radiation Applied Life Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Seo Young [Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jae Yeon; Yang, Bo Yeun [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Radiation Applied Life Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-11-15

    Objectives: We developed amino acid derivatives of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,7-diacetic acid (DO2A) and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,-triacetic acid (DO3A) that can be labeled with {sup 68}Ga, and we investigated their basic biological properties. Materials and methods: Alanine derivatives of DO2A and DO3A were synthesized by regiospecific nucleophilic attack of DO2tBu and DO3tBu on the {beta}-position of Boc-L-serine-{beta}-lactone, followed by acid hydrolysis. Also, homoalanine derivatives were synthesized by reacting with the protected bromo derivative of homoalanine, which was synthesized from N-Cbz-L-homoserine lactone. Further catalytic reduction and acid cleavage of protected groups resulted in the required products. All derivatives were labeled with {sup 68}Ga. Cell uptake assays were carried out in Hep3B (human hepatoma) and U87MG (human glioma) cell lines at 37{sup o}C. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies were performed using balb/c mice xenografted with CT-26 (mouse colon cancer). Results: All compounds were labeled with >97% efficiency. According to in vitro studies, the labeled amino acid derivatives showed significantly greater uptakes than the control ({sup 68}Ga 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) in cancer cells. Small animal PET images for labeled compounds showed high tumor uptake, as well as kidney and bladder uptakes, at 30 min postinjection. {sup 68}Ga-DO3A-homoalanine showed the highest standardized uptake value ratio (3.9{+-}0.3), followed by {sup 68}Ga-DO2A-alanine (3.1{+-}0.2), {sup 68}Ga-DO3A-alanine (2.8{+-}0.2) and {sup 68}Ga-DO2A-homoalanine (2.3{+-}0.2). Conclusion: These derivatives were found to have high labeling efficiencies, high stabilities, high tumor cell uptakes, high tumor/nontumor xenograft uptakes and low nonspecific uptake in normal organs, except for the kidneys. However, the uptake mechanism of these derivatives remains unclear, and uptake via specific amino acid

  17. Synthesis of novel 68Ga-labeled amino acid derivatives for positron emission tomography of cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shetty, Dinesh; Jeong, Jae Min; Ju, Chang Hwan; Lee, Yun-Sang; Jeong, Seo Young; Choi, Jae Yeon; Yang, Bo Yeun

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: We developed amino acid derivatives of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,7-diacetic acid (DO2A) and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,-triacetic acid (DO3A) that can be labeled with 68 Ga, and we investigated their basic biological properties. Materials and methods: Alanine derivatives of DO2A and DO3A were synthesized by regiospecific nucleophilic attack of DO2tBu and DO3tBu on the β-position of Boc-L-serine-β-lactone, followed by acid hydrolysis. Also, homoalanine derivatives were synthesized by reacting with the protected bromo derivative of homoalanine, which was synthesized from N-Cbz-L-homoserine lactone. Further catalytic reduction and acid cleavage of protected groups resulted in the required products. All derivatives were labeled with 68 Ga. Cell uptake assays were carried out in Hep3B (human hepatoma) and U87MG (human glioma) cell lines at 37 o C. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies were performed using balb/c mice xenografted with CT-26 (mouse colon cancer). Results: All compounds were labeled with >97% efficiency. According to in vitro studies, the labeled amino acid derivatives showed significantly greater uptakes than the control ( 68 Ga 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) in cancer cells. Small animal PET images for labeled compounds showed high tumor uptake, as well as kidney and bladder uptakes, at 30 min postinjection. 68 Ga-DO3A-homoalanine showed the highest standardized uptake value ratio (3.9±0.3), followed by 68 Ga-DO2A-alanine (3.1±0.2), 68 Ga-DO3A-alanine (2.8±0.2) and 68 Ga-DO2A-homoalanine (2.3±0.2). Conclusion: These derivatives were found to have high labeling efficiencies, high stabilities, high tumor cell uptakes, high tumor/nontumor xenograft uptakes and low nonspecific uptake in normal organs, except for the kidneys. However, the uptake mechanism of these derivatives remains unclear, and uptake via specific amino acid transporters needs to be demonstrated.

  18. Taraxinic acid, a hydrolysate of sesquiterpene lactone glycoside from the Taraxacum coreanum NAKAI, induces the differentiation of human acute promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jung-Hye; Shin, Kyung-Min; Kim, Na-Young; Hong, Jung-Pyo; Lee, Yong Sup; Kim, Hyoung Ja; Park, Hee-Juhn; Lee, Kyung-Tae

    2002-11-01

    The present work was performed to elucidate the active moiety of a sesquiterpene lactone, taraxinic acid-1'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1). from Taraxacum coreanum NAKAI on the cytotoxicity of various cancer cells. Based on enzymatic hydrolysis and MTT assay, the active moiety should be attributed to the aglycone taraxinic acid (1a). rather than the glycoside (1). Taraxinic acid exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against human leukemia-derived HL-60. In addition, this compound was found to be a potent inducer of HL-60 cell differentiation as assessed by a nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test, esterase activity assay, phagocytic activity assay, morphology change, and expression of CD 14 and CD 66 b surface antigens. These results suggest that taraxinic acid induces the differentiation of human leukemia cells to monocyte/macrophage lineage. Moreover, the expression level of c-myc was down-regulated during taraxinic acid-dependent HL-60 cell differentiation, whereas p21(CIP1) and p27(KIP1) were up-regulated. Taken together, our results suggest that taraxinic acid may have potential as a therapeutic agent in human leukemia.

  19. Review on Molecular Mechanisms of Antifouling Compounds: An Update since 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lianguo; Qian, Pei-Yuan

    2017-08-28

    Better understanding of the mechanisms of antifouling compounds is recognized to be of high value in establishing sensitive biomarkers, allowing the targeted optimization of antifouling compounds and guaranteeing environmental safety. Despite vigorous efforts to find new antifouling compounds, information about the mechanisms of antifouling is still scarce. This review summarizes the progress into understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying antifouling activity since 2012. Non-toxic mechanisms aimed at specific targets, including inhibitors of transmembrane transport, quorum sensing inhibitors, neurotransmission blockers, adhesive production/release inhibitors and enzyme/protein inhibitors, are put forward for natural antifouling products or shelf-stable chemicals. Several molecular targets show good potential for use as biomarkers in future mechanistic screening, such as acetylcholine esterase for neurotransmission, phenoloxidase/tyrosinase for the formation of adhesive plaques, N -acyl homoserine lactone for quorum sensing and intracellular Ca 2+ levels as second messenger. The studies on overall responses to challenges by antifoulants can be categorized as general targets, including protein expression/metabolic activity regulators, oxidative stress inducers, neurotransmission blockers, surface modifiers, biofilm inhibitors, adhesive production/release inhibitors and toxic killing. Given the current situation and the knowledge gaps regarding the development of alternative antifoulants, a basic workflow is proposed that covers the indispensable steps, including preliminary mechanism- or bioassay-guided screening, evaluation of environmental risks, field antifouling performance, clarification of antifouling mechanisms and the establishment of sensitive biomarkers, which are combined to construct a positive feedback loop.

  20. Raw cow’s milk relatively inhibits quorum sensing activity of Cromobacterium violaceum in comparison to raw she-camel’s milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.A. Moawad

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Milk from different animal species has variable levels of antimicrobial factors against some of spoilage bacteria. For example, they are significantly present in higher concentration in she-camel’s milk than in cattle or buffalo and they are more heat-resistant than their counterparts in cattle and buffalo. Spoilage bacteria are known to communicate with each other by release of signaling molecules, a phenomenon described as quorum sensing (QS. Some food matrices inhibit these signaling compounds. In this study we screened QS inhibitory activities in raw milk of cattle and camel. Ten samples each of fresh raw cow’s milk and she-camel’s milk from apparently healthy animals were screened using the bacterial model Cromobacterium violaceum. The tested cow’s raw milk samples were able to inhibit the production of QS signalling molecules acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs produced by C. violaceum. However, she-camel’s milk samples were less effective in inhibiting such AHLs. Thus, one of the factors which influence the inhibitory activity could be derived from variation in milk chemical composition, especially in the percentage of fat which is significantly higher in tested cow’s milk samples (2.22±0.12 than in tested she-camel’s milk samples (1.44±0.35. Natural inhibition of QS signaling by cow’s milk may offer a unique means to control foodborne pathogens and reduce microbial spoilage.