STUDY UNIT 4:

QUORUM SENSING
SET 3
 Learning Objectives
At the end of this section, you should be able to:

1> Understand and explain the concept “quorum sensing”.

2> Describe in detail 5 types of microbial quorum sensing.

3> Discuss how bacteria use quorum sensing for their interactions with
other bacteria or the host.

4> Understand the role of quorum sensing in biofilm formation.

 What is the role of QS in Biofilms?
• Genes encoding virulence factors, and proteins required for biofilm production are controlled by
quorum sensing in many pathogens (for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

• Either repression or induction of biofilm depending on bacterial species and environmental

conditions.
• QS affects biofilm formation:
influencing neighbours by altering
extracellular concentration of
autoinducers
(degradation/production) or by the
expression of QS-dependent
genes

• For QS, cells need a close

proximity of 4 – 5 µm with
maximum of 78 µm

• Mutations studies used to

investigate role of QS in biofilm
studies
• Good interactions:
• Oral cavity – AI-2 required for mixed biofilm formation and development of dental plaque –
triggers coaggregation, mutualism and biofilm formation.
• AI-2 mediated the formation of mixed biofilms comprising two common oral bacteria,
Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus gordonii.
• Mixed biofilm was not formed on polystyrene surfaces when both species lacked
the luxS gene required for the synthesis of the AI-2 signal.

• Polymicrobial interactions:
• S. aureus and P. aeruginosa (discussed previously).
• Burkholderia cepacia and P. aeruginosa – can recognise each others AHL signals and
often cause co-infections –
• Each employ AHL-based QS to control the expression of virulence factors and
biofilm formation - influence the architecture of a mixed biofilm community.

• Antimicrobial resistance phenotype of biofilm-associated cells without exchange of genetic

material.
• Up-regulation of efflux pumps.

• Serratia marcescens swr QS system mediates resistance against protozoan grazing.

• Negative interactions:
• Microorganisms occupying the same niche are constantly competing for
common resources.

• Competition within mixed-species biofilms may be fierce, with high cell

numbers of competing species spatially fixed within close proximity of one
another.

• Streptococcus gordonni secretes a protease which prevents

Streptococcus mutans from establishing a biofilm – jamming
communication.
• Production of enzymes to degrade QS molecules.
• Secreted chemicals with an inhibitory effect.

• Bacteriocin production and lowering of pH are two of the mechanisms

within biofilm communities that may help some species to compete.
• Bacteriocin production can be regulated by QS and may represent one of the
mechanisms through which QS is important for competition.
• Forcing neighbours out – biofilm dispersal
• N-butanoyl homoserine-lactone from Serratia marcescens mediates its biofilm dispersion

• Diffusible signal factor (DSF) controls dispersion of competitors from biofilm communities
• Plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris forms mannane-rich biofilms that clump plant
vessels.
• Xanthomonas campestris dissolves its own biofilms by production of a mannane-
degrading enzyme, an endo-b-1,4-mannosidase regulated by cis-unsaturated fatty
acid diffusible signal factor (DSF) - cis-11-methyl-2-dodecenoic acid.
• DSF is capable of upregulating the gene manA, which encodes endo-β-1,4-
mannanase, an enzyme that affects biofilm dispersal.
• DSF inhibits biofilm development by suppressing synthesis of the extracellular matrix
through xagABC.

• A DSF analog, Cis-2-decenoic acid, from P. aeruginosa is associated with the dispersal of
mature biofilms and suppression of new biofilm development in E. coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus
aureus, and the yeast Candida albicans.
5> Diffusible Signal Factor (DSF)
• cis-2-unsaturated fatty acids of differing chain length and branching pattern.

• Play a role in bacterial virulence, biofilm formation, and antibiotic resistance – also
influences the behavior of bacterial species within a mixed biofilm.

• In Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, DSF may play a role in biofilm architecture,

motility, synthesis of extracellular proteases, resistance to antibiotics and heavy
metals, lipopolysaccharide synthesis, cell aggregation, and virulence gene
regulation.
• In a mixed biofilm comprising P. aeruginosa and S. maltophilia, DSF secreted
by S. maltophilia increased polymyxin resistance and altered biofilm
architecture of P. aeruginosa grown in a flow-cell system.
• Did not disperse P. aeruginosa biofilms, but rather altered its biofilm
architecture and induced formation of filamentous structures.

• DSF analog, 12-methyl-tetradecanoic acid secreted by the plant pathogen Xylella

fastidiosa plays a role in the bacterium’s virulence, impaired insect transmission,
and biofilm development in host insects.

• Another DSF analog, from Xanthomonas axonopodis pv glycines, regulates

exoenzyme production and virulence.
 Combatting QS
• Delisea pulchra – halogenated furanones
– structurally similar to AHLs and interfere
with the ability of AHLs to activate gene
expression.

• Signal degradation can result from the

chemical characteristics of an
environment, such as pH, or the action of
enzymes produced by microbes or
animals.

• In the latter case, two main types of AHL-

degrading enzymes, lactonases and
acylases, have been described.

• Small molecule inhibitors from other

microbes.

• Phytochemicals from medicinal plants and

herbs.