Bacteria isolated from subtidal biofilms were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and screened for acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) production. In total, 68 strains were isolated from 1 to 9 d-old subtidal biofilms developed at a coastal fish farm. Identification based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that these isolates were distributed among 3 phylogenetic groups (4 Bacteroidetes, 13 α-Proteobacteria and 51 γ-Proteobacteria), with most isolates belonging to the family Rhodobacteraceae and the genera Thalassomonas, Alteromonas, Pseudoalteromonas, Shewanella and Vibrio. AHL screening was performed using 2 AHL reporter strains, Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136 and Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Results showed that 21 strains (31%) produced AHLs, including 3 Bacteroidetes, 5 α-Proteobacteria and 13 γ-Proteobacteria. All the AHL-producing α-Proteobacteria belonged to the family Rhodobacteraceae, whereas the AHL-producing γ-Proteobacteria consisted of 6 Pseudoalteromonas spp., 6 Vibrio spp. and 1 Thalassomonas sp. This is the first report of AHL-producing marine bacteria in the genera Flammeovirga, Pseudoalteromonas and Thalassomonas. The family Rhodobacteraceae (11 isolates) and the genera Vibrio (15 isolates) and Pseudoalteromonas (17 isolates) had the greatest number of AHL-producing isolates. AHL profiling of the AHL-producing isolates was performed by GC-MS. Most AHL-producing isolates produced several different AHLs, many of which were long-chain-and 3-oxo-AHLs. The widespread occurrence of AHL-producing bacteria in subtidal biofilms suggests that AHLs may play a role in the community development in this environment.
KEY WORDS: Subtidal biofilm · Marine bacteria · Acyl-homoserine lactone · AHL
Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Microb Ecol 52: [185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193] 2008 2005). Therefore, we assume that subtidal biofilms may harbor various kinds of AHL-producing strains.Molecular mechanisms of AHL-driven bacterial QS have been well studied in the lab; however, little work has been done concerning its ecological role in the field (McLean et al. 1997, Parsek & Greenberg 2005. It had been reported that the diffusible AHLs produced by bacterial biofilms increase spore settlement of the green alga Ulva sp. (Joint et al. 2002). In a previous study, we reported the direct detection of AHLs in marine subtidal biofilms and found that AHLs affected larval behavior in the polychaete Hydroides elegans (Huang et al. 2007a). However, the diversity of AHLproducing bacteria in marine biofilms has not been shown.In the present study, bacteria were isolated from 1 to 9 d old subtidal biofilms developed in a coastal fish farm of Hong Kong, identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and screened for AHL production. AHLs produced by bacteria were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
MATERIALS AND METHODSDevelopment of subtidal biofilms. Subtidal biofilms were developed from 12 to 21 October 2006 at Yung Shu...