title: Electrospray/mass spectrometric identification and analysis of 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a large array of 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs). These compounds were analyzed by LC/MS, using positive electrospray ionization, in the culture supernatant of strain PA14. Fifty-six HAQs and related compounds were detected and their [M + H](+) ions were further analyzed by collision induced dissociation (CID). These HAQs were grouped into five different series based on the presence of an hydrogen or hydroxyl group at the 3 position, an N-oxide group in place of the quinoline nitrogen, and an unsaturation on their alkyl side chain. Two new analogs of 3,4-dihydroxy-2 heptylquinoline, the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS), were found with an alkyl chain longer by one and two methylene groups. Moreover, two additional series of compounds were identified in which a saturated or unsaturated alkyl side chain is located at the 3 position along with an hydroxyl group at the 3 position and a ketone at the 2 position. No HAQ N-oxides, nor any compounds from the latter two series, were detected in a pqsL mutant derivative of PA14, indicating that this gene is involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds. This work demonstrates the large repertoire of HAQ and HAQ-related compounds produced by P. aeruginosa, and provides insight into N-oxides biosynthesis and confirm the hypothesis that N-oxides are the precursors of compounds from Series 6 and 7.
authors.affiliation: INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec, Canada. francois.lepine@inrs-iaf.uquebec.ca
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lépine
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milot
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Déziel
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Laurence G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Rahme
mesh_terms: D015394:Molecular Structure; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D015363:Quinolones