Quorum Sensing and Quorum Quenching in the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica Microbiota

Abstract

Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile is an endemic Mediterranean seagrass angiosperm. The taxonomic diversity of the Posidonia-associated microbiota has previously been inventoried using culture-based and culture-independent approaches. However, little is known about the type of chemical interactions that occur between the cells within this microbiota. In this study, we isolated 60 bacterial strains from the leaves and rhizomes of P. oceanica and evaluated their capacity to communicate through quorum sensing. We found 6 strains able to emit 8 different types of quorum sensing acyl homoserine lactones, identified through UHPLC-HRMS/MS after bioguided fractionation of large cultures. We also identified 19 strains able to produce furanosyl diester borate, another type of quorum sensing autoinducer. Also, 5 strains were found to produce quorum quenching compounds. Finally, as quorum sensing is known to be involved in biofilm production, we also tested whether strains positive to our biotests were able to produce biofilms. Collectively, these data reveal the importance of examining chemical interactions within this bacterial consortium associated with P. oceanica that could have an impact on the physiology of this key Mediterranean seagrass.

Quorum Sensing System of Ruegeria mobilis Rm01 Controls Lipase and Biofilm Formation

“…QQ might be another important process for the adaptation of Rm01 to marine particles. Previous studies demonstrated that many strains capable of AHL interference have been isolated from sediments, biofilms, the surface of the alga Fucus vesiculosus (Romero et al, 2012) and the Mediterranean seagrass angiosperm Posidonia oceanica (Blanchet et al, 2017), and marine particles (Table 1) in which QS activity is easily concentrated. The QQ processes in dense microbial niches limit the coordination of antagonistic bacteria and even affect vital activities of their phytoplankton host (Tait et al, 2009; Rolland et al, 2016).…”

Ecology and Biotechnological Potential of Bacteria Belonging to the Genus Pseudovibrio

“…2. Remarkably, these bacteria have been described to be associated with Rhodophyta and Embryophyta algae (19,20) and with nine animal phyla, including more than 15 different sponge genera. In fact, in more than half of the 134 studies here considered, Pseudovibrio spp.…”

Quorum Sensing in Marine Biofilms and Environments

“…From this collection, we were able to detect 6 strains able to emit 8 different types of AHLs and 19 strains able to activate the AI-2 biosensors. These results reveal the importance of examining quorum sensing relationships also within the microbiota of marine angiosperms to better understand the complex relationships that may exist between these microbes and their host (Blanchet et al, 2017).…”