title: The quorum sensing molecule N-acyl homoserine lactone produced by Acinetobacter baumannii displays antibacterial and anticancer properties.
abstract: Secretory N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) mediate quorum sensing (QS) in bacteria. AHLs are shown to be inhibitory for an unrelated group of bacteria and might mimic host signalling elements, thereby subverting the regulatory events in host cells. This study investigated the AHL produced by Acinetobacter baumannii and analysed its effect on other bacterial species and mammalian cells. Chemically characterized AHL had an m/z value of 325 with a molecular formula C18H31NO4 and showed its inhibitory potential against Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular docking studies identified D-alanine-D-alanine synthetase A, a cell wall synthesizing enzyme of S. aureus having a strong binding affinity towards AHL. Electron microscopy showed the disruption and sloughing off of the S. aureus cell wall when treated with AHL. In vitro experiments revealed that this bacteriostatic AHL showed time-dependent activity and induced apoptosis in cancer cell lines. This compound could be a potential structural backbone for constructing new AHL analogues against S. aureus. The findings emphasize the need to re-evaluate all previously characterized AHLs for any additional new biological functions other than QS.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.|d Department of Biotechnology , SRF, Interdisciplinary Program in Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: Rajagopalan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saranathan
authors.affiliation: b Department of Chemistry , Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: Lakshmi Narayana
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Adigopula
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: Vasanth
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thamodharan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: Satya Prakash
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: c Centre for Bioinformatics , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: T Pragna
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lakshmi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: Mallu Abhiram
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: CharanTej
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: R Srinivasa
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: c Centre for Bioinformatics , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.affiliation: b Department of Chemistry , Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: H Surya Prakash
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University , Puducherry , India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prashanth
mesh_terms: D000072283:A549 Cells; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D062105:Molecular Docking Simulation; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; D-alanine-D-alanine synthetase A; N-acyl homoserine lactone; Quorum sensing; Staphylococcus aureus