title: Novel volatiles of skin-borne bacteria inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria and affect quorum-sensing controlled phenotypes of Gram-negative bacteria.
abstract: The skin microbiota is import for body protection. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of typical skin-resident corynebacterial and staphylococcal species. The VOC profile of Staphylococcus schleiferi DSMZ 4807 was of particular interest as it is dominated by two compounds, 3-(phenylamino)butan-2-one and 3-(phenylimino)butan-2-one (schleiferon A and B, respectively). Neither of these has previously been reported from natural sources. Schleiferon A and B inhibited the growth of various Gram-positive species and affected two quorum-sensing-dependent phenotypes - prodigiosin accumulation and bioluminescence - of Gram-negative bacteria. Both compounds were found to inhibit the expression of prodigiosin biosynthetic genes and stimulate the expression of prodigiosin regulatory genes pigP and pigS. This study demonstrates that the volatile schleiferons A and B emitted by the skin bacterium S. schleiferi modulate differentially and specifically its interactions with members of diverse bacterial communities. A network of VOC-mediated interspecies interactions and communications must be considered in the establishment of the (skin) microbiome and both compounds are interesting candidates for further investigations to better understand how VOCs emitted by skin bacteria influence and modulate the local microbiota and determine whether they are relevant to antibiotic and anti-virulence therapies.
authors.affiliation: University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Marie Chantal
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lemfack
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Srinivasa Rao
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ravella
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.affiliation: University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: birgit.piechulla@uni-rostock.de.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piechulla
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D064307:Microbiota; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000378:metabolism; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D000217:Acyltransferases; C081007:COOH-terminal signal transamidase; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; C414441:PIGP protein, human
keywords: Bioluminescence; Corynebacterium; Microbial volatile organic compounds; Prodigiosin; Quorum sensing; Skin microbiota; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus schleiferi