Ecological Relevance of Quorum Quenching

CAROLINA VIOLA; MARIELA TORRES; ALEJANDRA VALDEZ; MARIANO LACOSEGLIAZ; LUCIA CASTELLANOS DE FIGUEROA; CARLOS NIETO-PEÑALVER

Perspectives of Quorum Quenching in New Drug Development

CRC Press

Año: 2024;

Quorum Sensing (QS) is a microbial communication mechanism that regulate the most 26 diverse cellular processes and functions. With increasing population density, autoinducers 27 accumulate in the extracellular environment, and once their concentration reaches a 28 threshold, many genes are expressed or repressed. QS systems allow microorganisms to 29 communicate with members of their own species. A diversity of QS signaling molecules and 30 specific detection machineries have been described. QS is involved in the regulation of not 31 only virulence but also in beneficial traits. However, the need to find novel ways to combat 32 pathogens has prompted the research of the Quorum Quenching (QQ) phenomenon as an 33 alternative to antibiotics. Beyond the diverse biotechnological applications of the interruption 34 of QS signaling, the QQ phenomenon has ecological implications due to the modulations of 35 microbial interactions in virtually any niche. Multiple studies exemplified AHL degradation 36 activities demonstrating that QQ enzymes are widespread in the natural environment. 37 However, there are few reports on the "natural" relevance of the QQ phenomenon. In this 38 chapter, the ecological relevance of QQ is analyzed from four main points of views: as an 39 alternative for obtaining nutrients in which the AHL degradation products can serve as a 40 source of nutrients and as an energy reserve; as a strategy for the colonization of niches; as a 41 protection of toxic compounds; and a regulatory mechanism.