N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone-Mediated Quorum Sensing Regulates Species Interactions in Multispecies Biofilm Communities

Subramoni, S; Muzaki, MZBM; Booth, SCM; Kjelleberg, S; Rice, SA

N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone-Mediated Quorum Sensing Regulates Species Interactions in Multispecies Biofilm Communities

Subramoni, S Muzaki, MZBM Booth, SCM Kjelleberg, S Rice, SA

Permalink

Publisher:: Frontiers Media SA
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2021, 11, pp. 646991
Issue Date:: 2021-03-18

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.4 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Subramoni, S
dc.contributor.author	Muzaki, MZBM
dc.contributor.author	Booth, SCM
dc.contributor.author	Kjelleberg, S
dc.contributor.author	Rice, SA
dc.date.accessioned	2021-04-14T05:45:13Z
dc.date.available	2021-04-14T05:45:13Z
dc.date.issued	2021-03-18
dc.identifier.citation	Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2021, 11, pp. 646991
dc.identifier.issn	2235-2988
dc.identifier.issn	2235-2988
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/148093
dc.description.abstract	<jats:p>Bacterial biofilms are important medically, environmentally and industrially and there is a need to understand the processes that govern functional synergy and dynamics of species within biofilm communities. Here, we have used a model, mixed-species biofilm community comprised of <jats:italic>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</jats:italic> PAO1, <jats:italic>Pseudomonas protegens</jats:italic> Pf-5 and <jats:italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae</jats:italic> KP1. This biofilm community displays higher biomass and increased resilience to antimicrobial stress conditions such as sodium dodecyl sulfate and tobramycin, compared to monospecies biofilm populations. <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> is present at low proportions in the community and yet, it plays a critical role in community function, suggesting it acts as a keystone species in this community. To determine the factors that regulate community composition, we focused on <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> because of its pronounced impact on community structure and function. Specifically, we evaluated the role of the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) dependent quorum sensing (QS) system of <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> PAO1, which regulates group behaviors including biofilm formation and the production of effector molecules. We found that mixed species biofilms containing <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> QS mutants had significantly altered proportions of <jats:italic>K. pneumoniae</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>P. protegens</jats:italic> populations compared to mixed species biofilms with the wild type <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic>. Similarly, inactivation of QS effector genes, e.g. <jats:italic>rhlA</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>pvdR</jats:italic>, also governed the relative species proportions. While the absence of QS did not alter the proportions of the two species in dual species biofilms of <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>K. pneumoniae</jats:italic>, it resulted in significantly lower proportions of <jats:italic>P. aeruginosa</jats:italic> in dual species biofilms with <jats:italic>P. protegens</jats:italic>. These observations suggest that QS plays an important role in modulating community biofilm structure and physiology and affects interspecific interactions.</jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Frontiers Media SA
dc.relation.ispartof	Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3389/fcimb.2021.646991
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 0605 Microbiology
dc.title	N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone-Mediated Quorum Sensing Regulates Species Interactions in Multispecies Biofilm Communities
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	11
utslib.for	0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
utslib.for	0605 Microbiology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ithree - Institute of Infection, Immunity and Innovation
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-04-14T05:45:12Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	11

Abstract:

Bacterial biofilms are important medically, environmentally and industrially and there is a need to understand the processes that govern functional synergy and dynamics of species within biofilm communities. Here, we have used a model, mixed-species biofilm community comprised of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 and Klebsiella pneumoniae KP1. This biofilm community displays higher biomass and increased resilience to antimicrobial stress conditions such as sodium dodecyl sulfate and tobramycin, compared to monospecies biofilm populations. P. aeruginosa is present at low proportions in the community and yet, it plays a critical role in community function, suggesting it acts as a keystone species in this community. To determine the factors that regulate community composition, we focused on P. aeruginosa because of its pronounced impact on community structure and function. Specifically, we evaluated the role of the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) dependent quorum sensing (QS) system of P. aeruginosa PAO1, which regulates group behaviors including biofilm formation and the production of effector molecules. We found that mixed species biofilms containing P. aeruginosa QS mutants had significantly altered proportions of K. pneumoniae and P. protegens populations compared to mixed species biofilms with the wild type P. aeruginosa. Similarly, inactivation of QS effector genes, e.g. rhlA and pvdR, also governed the relative species proportions. While the absence of QS did not alter the proportions of the two species in dual species biofilms of P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae, it resulted in significantly lower proportions of P. aeruginosa in dual species biofilms with P. protegens. These observations suggest that QS plays an important role in modulating community biofilm structure and physiology and affects interspecific interactions.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/148093