Quorum Quenching Revisited—From Signal Decays to Signalling Confusion

Abstract

In a polymicrobial community, while some bacteria are communicating with neighboring cells (quorum sensing), others are interrupting the communication (quorum quenching), thus creating a constant arms race between intercellular communication. In the past decade, numerous quorum quenching enzymes have been found and initially thought to inactivate the signalling molecules. Though this is widely accepted, the actual roles of these quorum quenching enzymes are now being uncovered. Recent evidence extends the role of quorum quenching to detoxification or metabolism of signalling molecules as food and energy source; this includes “signalling confusion”, a term coined in this paper to refer to the phenomenon of non-destructive modification of signalling molecules. While quorum quenching has been explored as a novel anti-infective therapy targeting, quorum sensing evidence begins to show the development of resistance against quorum quenching.

Inhibition of quorum sensing in Chromobacterium violaceum by Syzygium cumini L. and Pimenta dioica L.

“…Increasing emergence of antibiotic resistance in Gram negative bacteria also demands alternative strategies to combat bacterial infections and anti-QS approach is being viewed as an attractive alternative. QS inhibitory compounds, unlike conventional antibiotics, do not kill or inhibit microbial growth and are less likely to impose a selective pressure for the development of drug resistant bacteria [6] .…”

Inhibición de la expresión del sistema agr de Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina mediante el uso de polifenoles totales de hojas de aguacate mexicano (Persea americana var. drymifolia)

“…El uso de moléculas APQ es una alternativa que en décadas recientes se ha propuesto como una nueva estrategia para combatir infecciones bacterianas, con la ventaja de evitar o reducir la aparición de resistencia (Brackman et al, 2016;Hong, et al, 2012;Chong, et al, 2011). La principal característica de estas moléculas y que las distingue de los antibióticos, es que no interfieren con la viabilidad bacteriana, razón por la cual se plantea que no generan presión de selección y por lo tanto no generan resistencia como lo hacen los compuestos bactericidas (Castillo-Juárez et al, 2015).…”

Complete Genome Sequence of Burkholderia sp. Strain GG4, a Betaproteobacterium That Reduces 3-Oxo- N -Acylhomoserine Lactones and Produces Different N -Acylhomoserine Lactones

“…Burkholderia sp. strain GG4, isolated from the rhizosphere of ginger (Zingiber officinale), has been reported to possess an N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-modifying activity that reduces 3-oxo-AHLs to the corresponding 3-hydroxy compounds (2,5). It is able to attenuate the 3-oxo-C 6 -HSL-dependent pectinolytic activity of Erwinia carotovora, suggesting that modification of the 3-oxo moiety contributes to the quorum-sensing-interfering activity (2).…”