Quorum sensing in metal tolerance of Acinetobacter junii BB1A is associated with biofilm production.
Acinetobacter junii strain BB1A, a novel metal-tolerant bacterium, produced biofilm in the presence of added ions such as Ni(2+), AsO(2)(-), Cd(2+) and Hg(2+) on surfaces such as glass and polystyrene. Generation of a metal-sensitive and adhesion-deficient mutant by transposition of Tn5-mob in the A. junii genome has putatively confirmed the association of metal tolerance with the production of biofilm. The requirement of a critical cell density for biofilm formation and presence of acyl-homoserine lactone-like autoinducer molecules in the cell-free supernatant indicated the phenomenon of quorum sensing. Addition of a natural quorum-sensing inhibitor (garlic extract) or synthetic quorum-sensing inhibitor (4-nitro-pyridine oxide) significantly inhibited cell growth and biofilm formation in the presence of metal/metalloid ions.
Sarkar
Suchitra
S
Department of Biotechnology, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, West Bengal, India.
Chakraborty
Ranadhir
R
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000378:metabolism; D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004361:Drug Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008670:Metals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D008670:Metals; D015107:4-Butyrolactone