title: Identification of N-acylhomoserine lactones in mucopurulent respiratory secretions from cystic fibrosis patients.
abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex are the primary bacterial pathogens contributing to lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis. Quorum sensing systems using N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules are involved in the regulation of a number of virulence factors in these species. Extracts of mucopurulent respiratory secretions from 13 cystic fibrosis patients infected with P. aeruginosa and/or strains of the B. cepacia complex were fractionated using reverse-phase fast pressure liquid chromatography and analyzed for the presence of AHLs using a traI-luxCDABE-based reporter that responds to AHLs with acyl chains ranging between 4 and 12 carbons. Using this assay system, a broad range of AHLs were detected and identified despite being present at low concentrations in limited sample volumes. N-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone, N-(3-oxo-decanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone and N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OHL) were the AHLs most frequently identified. OHL and N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone were detected in nanomolar concentrations compared to picomolar amounts of the 3-oxo-derivatives of the AHLs identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta., Canada T2N 4N1.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: Michelle B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Pamela A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sokol
mesh_terms: D016956:Burkholderia cepacia / Q000378:metabolism; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006714:Homoserine / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D007783:Lactones; D006714:Homoserine