title: Inhibition of quorum sensing-regulated behaviors by Scorzonera sandrasica.
abstract: Many Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl homoserine lactone signal molecules to monitor their own population density and coordinate gene regulation in a process called quorum sensing (QS). Increasing evidence implies that certain eukaryotes produce QS-inhibitory compounds. In this work, we tested 46 terrestrial plants materials for their ability to inhibit QS-regulated behaviors in different bacterial species. Plant materials were dried and extracted using different solvents. The chloroform-soluble compounds extracted from Scorzonera sandrasica were found to inhibit violacein production, a QS-regulated behavior in Chromobacterium violaceum. In addition, the chloroform extract was also able to inhibit QS-regulated carbapenem antibiotic production in Erwinia carotovora. Because the regulation of many bacterial processes is controlled by QS systems, the finding of natural compounds acting as QS inhibitors suggests an attractive tool to control and handle detrimental infections caused by human, animal, and plant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Suleyman Demirel University, 32260, Isparta, Turkey. gtinaz@fef.sdu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Gulgun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bosgelmez-Tinaz
authors.forename: Seyhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugur
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ceylan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002861:Chromobacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D016973:Pectobacterium carotovorum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D031186:Scorzonera / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D015780:Carbapenems; D007211:Indoles; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063155:violacein