Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 15443

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Italian National Research Council, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
Interests: natural products; quorum sensing; biological activities; secondary metabolites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Quorum Sensing (QS), a cell-cell communication mechanism population density-dependent, regulates genes expression which is reflected in behavioral responses by microbial communities. QS relies on production, release and detection of extracellular molecules (autoinducers). Over the past half-century, there has been a remarkable increase of studies and knowledge of QS mechanism, chemistry of signal molecules, involved genes and resultant behavioral responses. All these studies have resulted in a best understanding of chemical communication between microbes in term of “sociality”, that means a coordinated interaction within species, between species and hosts (inter-kingdom communication).

The purpose of this special issue is to report recent findings and advances in this topic covering different fields (medicine, food, ecology, marine habitat) and to discuss of how QS could be a big challenge to be further investigated and better understand.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppina Tommonaro
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Quorum Sensing
  • autoinducers
  • host-microbe interaction
  • human microbiota
  • virulence
  • biofilm
  • food preservation
  • Quorum Sensing inhibition
  • Quorum quenching
  • microbial sociality
  • extremophiles
  • marine habitat
  • nanomaterials

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3105 KiB  
Article
Diversity of Bacteria with Quorum Sensing and Quenching Activities from Hydrothermal Vents in the Okinawa Trough
by Fu Yin, Di Gao, Li Yue, Yunhui Zhang, Jiwen Liu, Xiao-Hua Zhang and Min Yu
Microorganisms 2023, 11(3), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11030748 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2570
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a chemical communication system by which bacteria coordinate gene expression and social behaviors. Quorum quenching (QQ) refers to processes of inhibiting the QS pathway. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are extreme marine environments, where abundant and diverse microbial communities live. However, [...] Read more.
Quorum sensing (QS) is a chemical communication system by which bacteria coordinate gene expression and social behaviors. Quorum quenching (QQ) refers to processes of inhibiting the QS pathway. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are extreme marine environments, where abundant and diverse microbial communities live. However, the nature of chemical communication in bacteria inhabiting the hydrothermal vent is poorly understood. In this study, the QS and QQ activities with N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as the autoinducer were detected in bacteria isolated from hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough. A total of 18 and 108 isolates possessed AHL-producing and AHL-degrading abilities, respectively. Bacteria mainly affiliated with Rhodobacterales, Hyphomicrobiales, Enterobacterales and Sphingomonadales showed QS activities; QQ was mainly associated with Bacillales, Rhodospirillales and Sphingomonadales. The results showed that the bacterial QS and QQ processes are prevalent in hydrothermal environments in the Okinawa Trough. Furthermore, QS significantly affected the activities of extracellular enzymes represented by β-glucosidase, aminopeptidase and phosphatase in the four isolates with higher QS activities. Our results increase the current knowledge of the diversity of QS and QQ bacteria in extreme marine environments and shed light on the interspecific relationships to better investigate their dynamics and ecological roles in biogeochemical cycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges)
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24 pages, 7815 KiB  
Article
Hiring of the Anti-Quorum Sensing Activities of Hypoglycemic Agent Linagliptin to Alleviate the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis
by Maan T. Khayat, Tarek S. Ibrahim, Khaled M. Darwish, Ahdab N. Khayyat, Majed Alharbi, El-Sayed Khafagy, Mohamed A. M. Ali, Wael A. H. Hegazy and Hisham A. Abbas
Microorganisms 2022, 10(12), 2455; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10122455 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2201
Abstract
Bacteria communicate with each other using quorum sensing (QS) which works in an inducer/receptor manner. QS plays the main role in orchestrating diverse bacterial virulence factors. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most clinically important bacterial pathogens that can cause infection in almost [...] Read more.
Bacteria communicate with each other using quorum sensing (QS) which works in an inducer/receptor manner. QS plays the main role in orchestrating diverse bacterial virulence factors. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most clinically important bacterial pathogens that can cause infection in almost all body tissues. Besides its efficient capability to develop resistance to different antibiotics, P. aeruginosa acquires a huge arsenal of virulence factors that are controlled mainly by QS. Challenging QS with FDA-approved drugs and natural products was proposed as a promising approach to mitigate bacterial virulence enabling the host immunity to complete the eradication of bacterial infection. The present study aims to evaluate the dipeptidase inhibitor-4 inhibitor hypoglycemic linagliptin anti-QS and anti-virulence activities against P. aeruginosa in vitro, in vivo, and in silico. The current results revealed the significant ability to diminish the production of protease and pyocyanin, motility, and biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, the histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues of mice injected with linagliptin-treated bacteria showed an obvious reduction of pathogenesis. Linagliptin downregulation to QS-encoding genes, besides the virtual ability to interact with QS receptors, indicates its anti-QS activities. In conclusion, linagliptin is a promising anti-virulence and anti-QS candidate that can be used solely or in combination with traditional antimicrobial agents in the treatment of P. aeruginosa aggressive infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges)
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Review

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23 pages, 1376 KiB  
Review
Quorum Sensing as a Trigger That Improves Characteristics of Microbial Biocatalysts
by Elena Efremenko, Olga Senko, Nikolay Stepanov, Aysel Aslanli, Olga Maslova and Ilya Lyagin
Microorganisms 2023, 11(6), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11061395 - 25 May 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2361
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae) today attracts the attention of researchers mainly from the point of view of clarifying the biochemical basics of this general biological phenomenon, establishing chemical compounds that regulate it, and studying the mechanisms of its [...] Read more.
Quorum sensing (QS) of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae) today attracts the attention of researchers mainly from the point of view of clarifying the biochemical basics of this general biological phenomenon, establishing chemical compounds that regulate it, and studying the mechanisms of its realization. Such information is primarily aimed at its use in solving environmental problems and the development of effective antimicrobial agents. This review is oriented on other aspects of the application of such knowledge; in particular, it discusses the role of QS in the elaboration of various prospective biocatalytic systems for different biotechnological processes carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (synthesis of enzymes, polysaccharides, organic acids, etc.). Particular attention is paid to the biotechnological aspects of QS application and the use of biocatalysts, which have a heterogeneous microbial composition. The priorities of how to trigger a quorum response in immobilized cells to maintain their long-term productive and stable metabolic functioning are also discussed. There are several approaches that can be realized: increase in cell concentration, introduction of inductors for synthesis of QS-molecules, addition of QS-molecules, and provoking competition between the participants of heterogeneous biocatalysts, etc.). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges)
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29 pages, 4521 KiB  
Review
Interkingdom Detection of Bacterial Quorum-Sensing Molecules by Mammalian Taste Receptors
by Yobouet Ines Kouakou and Robert J. Lee
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051295 - 16 May 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3734
Abstract
Bitter and sweet taste G protein-coupled receptors (known as T2Rs and T1Rs, respectively) were originally identified in type II taste cells on the tongue, where they signal perception of bitter and sweet tastes, respectively. Over the past ~15 years, taste receptors have been [...] Read more.
Bitter and sweet taste G protein-coupled receptors (known as T2Rs and T1Rs, respectively) were originally identified in type II taste cells on the tongue, where they signal perception of bitter and sweet tastes, respectively. Over the past ~15 years, taste receptors have been identified in cells all over the body, demonstrating a more general chemosensory role beyond taste. Bitter and sweet taste receptors regulate gut epithelial function, pancreatic β cell secretion, thyroid hormone secretion, adipocyte function, and many other processes. Emerging data from a variety of tissues suggest that taste receptors are also used by mammalian cells to “eavesdrop” on bacterial communications. These receptors are activated by several quorum-sensing molecules, including acyl-homoserine lactones and quinolones from Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, competence stimulating peptides from Streptococcus mutans, and D-amino acids from Staphylococcus aureus. Taste receptors are an arm of immune surveillance similar to Toll-like receptors and other pattern recognition receptors. Because they are activated by quorum-sensing molecules, taste receptors report information about microbial population density based on the chemical composition of the extracellular environment. This review summarizes current knowledge of bacterial activation of taste receptors and identifies important questions remaining in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges)
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Other

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9 pages, 468 KiB  
Perspective
Research Progress and Hopeful Strategies of Application of Quorum Sensing in Food, Agriculture and Nanomedicine
by Gennaro Roberto Abbamondi and Giuseppina Tommonaro
Microorganisms 2022, 10(6), 1192; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10061192 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3101
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) regulates the expression of several genes including motility, biofilm development, virulence expression, population density detection and plasmid conjugation. It is based on “autoinducers”, small molecules that microorganisms produce and release in the extracellular milieu. The biochemistry of quorum sensing is [...] Read more.
Quorum sensing (QS) regulates the expression of several genes including motility, biofilm development, virulence expression, population density detection and plasmid conjugation. It is based on “autoinducers”, small molecules that microorganisms produce and release in the extracellular milieu. The biochemistry of quorum sensing is widely discussed and numerous papers are available to scientists. The main purpose of this research is to understand how knowledge about this mechanism can be exploited for the benefit of humans and the environment. Here, we report the most promising studies on QS and their resulting applications in different fields of global interest: food, agriculture and nanomedicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Quorum Sensing: Advances and Challenges)
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