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Community quorum sensing signalling and quenching: microbial granular biofilm assembly.

ABSTRACT: Recent reports exploring the role of gradients of quorum sensing (QS) signals in functional activated sludge have raised the question of whether shared systems of signalling synthesis and degradation, or quorum quenching (QQ), across the community inform of the means by which QS biology regulate floccular and granular biofilm assembly.In this study, we aimed to explore the species origin and interactive role of QS and QQ activities in such highly diverse microbial biofilm communities.Here, such aims were addressed systematically by a comprehensive multi-pronged RNA-sequencing, microbiological and analytical chemistry experimental approach, using two related but independently evolved floccular and granular sludge communities.Our data revealed a distinct difference between the QS and QQ potentials of the two communities, with different species largely displaying either QS or QQ functions. The floccular sludge community showed a high rate of QQ activity, and this rate was dependent on the acyl chain length demonstrating specificity of degradation. When the floccular biomass was transformed into the granular sludge, the QQ activity of the community was reduced by 30%. N-acyl homoserine lactones with four to eight carbons on the acyl chain accumulated at the granular stage, and their concentrations were at least threefold higher than those of the floccular stage. These findings corroborated meta-community analysis where a major shift in the dominant species from potential signal quenchers to producers was observed during the transition from flocs to granules, indicating the role of species composition and associated signalling activities in coordinating community behaviours.This study suggests that QQ has an important function in regulating community level QS signalling, and provides a mechanistic insight into the role of QS biology in complex community assembly.

SUBMITTER: Tan CH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515215 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Community quorum sensing signalling and quenching: microbial granular biofilm assembly.

Tan Chuan Hao CH Koh Kai Shyang KS Xie Chao C Zhang Joela J Tan Xiao Hui XH Lee Guo Ping GP Zhou Yan Y Ng Wun Jern WJ Rice Scott A SA Kjelleberg Staffan S

NPJ biofilms and microbiomes 20150527

<h4>Background</h4>Recent reports exploring the role of gradients of quorum sensing (QS) signals in functional activated sludge have raised the question of whether shared systems of signalling synthesis and degradation, or quorum quenching (QQ), across the community inform of the means by which QS biology regulate floccular and granular biofilm assembly.<h4>Aims</h4>In this study, we aimed to explore the species origin and interactive role of QS and QQ activities in such highly diverse microbial ...[more]

PMID: 28721230

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Project description:Quorum sensing (QS) is a density-dependent communicating mechanism that allows bacteria to regulate a wide range of biogeochemical important processes and could be inhibited by quorum quenching (QQ). Increasing researches have demonstrated that QS can affect the degradation of particulate organic matter (POM) in the photic zone. However, knowledge of the diversity and variation of microbial QS and QQ systems in sinking POM is scarce. Here, POM samples were collected from surface seawater (SW), bottom seawater (BW), and surficial sediment (SS) in the Yellow Sea of China. 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenome sequencing were performed to analyze the community structure of particle-associated microorganisms and distribution of QS genes [acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) synthesizing gene luxI and AHL sensing gene luxR] and QQ genes (genes encoding for AHL lactonase and acylase) in POM. Shifting community structures were observed at different sampling depths, with an increase of microbial abundance and diversity from SW to BW. Along with the variation of microbial communities, the abundances of luxI and luxR decreased slightly but were restored or even exceeded when POM arrived at SS. Comparatively, abundances of AHL lactonase and acylase remained constant during the transportation process from SW to BW but increased dramatically in SS. Correlation tests indicated that abundances of luxI and luxR were positively correlated with temperature, while those of AHL acylase were positively correlated with depth, SiO4 2-, PO4 3-, and NO3 -, but negatively correlated with temperature and pH. According to phylogenetic analyses, the retrieved QS and QQ genes are more diverse and distinctive than ever experimentally identified. Besides, the vertical transmission of QS and QQ genes along with POM sinking was observed, which could be one of the key factors leading to the prevalence of QS and QQ genes in marine ecosystems. Overall, our results increase the current knowledge of QS and QQ metabolic pathways in marine environment and shed light on the intertwined interspecies relationships to better investigate their dynamics and ecological roles in POM cycling.

Dataset Information

Community quorum sensing signalling and quenching: microbial granular biofilm assembly.

Publications

Community quorum sensing signalling and quenching: microbial granular biofilm assembly.

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