Burkholderia cepacia YtnP and Y2-aiiA lactonases inhibit virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa via quorum quenching activity

Burkholderia cepacia is well known as the causative agent of infections in humans where often shares niche with other pathogens, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Clinical isolate Burkholderia sp. BCC4135 was selected due to its strong quorum quenching (QQ) activity. Whole genome sequencing unveiled this isolate as B. cepacia with unique sequence type ST1485 and a myriad of genes belonging to resistome and virulome. Two QQ lactonases YtnP and Y2-aiiA originated from B. cepacia BCC4135 were cloned, expressed, and functionally characterized. They were active against a broad substrate spectrum of the N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). The YtnP lactonase was inactive, while Y2-aiiA was active against N-tetradecanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C14-HSL) which could imply the difference in their biological roles from the aspect of its quorum sensing (QS) autoregulation and interference with the QS systems of bacteria residing within the same niche. Both YtnP and Y2-aiiA were able to attenuate virulence potential of P. aeruginosa MMA83 clinical isolate declining its biofilm formation and virulence factors production. B. cepacia BCC4135 lactonases interfered with the las, rhl, and even pqs QS circuit of P. aeruginosa MMA83 transcription and the effect of combined enzymes was even more prominent. B. cepacia BCC4135 also employs the CepI/R QS system for governing its own virulence traits and possibly self-regulates the QQ/QS network through the different expression and activity of YtnP and/or Y2-aiiA. Our findings pointed out that BCC4135 lactonases could be exploited as an effective antivirulence drugs against P. aeruginosa and gave us a new insight into B. cepacia QQ/QS machinery.