A Bacterial Isolate Capable of Quenching Both Diffusible Signal Factor- and N-Acylhomoserine Lactone-Family Quorum Sensing Signals Shows Much Enhanced Biocontrol Potencies

N-Acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) and diffusible signal factor (DSF) molecules are two families of widely conserved quorum sensing (QS) signals. Quorum quenching (QQ) via enzymatic inactivation of QS signals is a promising strategy of biocontrol. In the search for biocontrol agent quenching both AHL and DSF signals, it has been recently identified that DSF-quenching biocontrol agent Pseudomonas sp. HS-18 contains at least three genes (aigA, aigB, and aigC) encoding AHL-acylases displaying strong AHL-acylase activities on various AHLs. Among them, AigA and AigC presented broad-spectrum enzyme activity against AHLs, while AigB preferred longer AHLs. Interestingly, transcriptional expression of aigC could be significantly induced by AHL signals. Heterologous expression of aigA-C in Burkholderia cenocepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulted in drastically decreased AHL accumulation, virulence factor production, biofilm formation, motility, and virulence on plants. Significantly, the two types of QQ mechanisms in HS-18 showed a strong and much desired synergistic effect for enhanced biocontrol potency against AHL- and DSF-dependent pathogens.

Automated summary

N-Acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) and diffusible signal factor (DSF) are widely conserved quorum sensing signals, and enzymatic inactivation of QS signals is a promising biocontrol strategy. DSF-quenching biocontrol agent Pseudomonas sp. HS-18 exhibits strong enzyme activity against both AHL and DSF signals, showing synergistic effects in reducing AHL accumulation and pathogen virulence.