Response of the Toxic Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to Bacteria Signaling Molecules AHLs - Change of Volatile Components Production

Abstract

N-acyl homoserine-lactones (AHLs) are essential bacteria signaling molecules which regulate many physiological behaviors of Gram-negativebacteria. Previous studies have shown that AHLs can affect the growth and primary physiological processes of the bloom-forming cyanobacteriumMicrocystisaeruginosa. The aim of this study was to examine whether and how the presence of AHLs substances may affect the release of volatile chemicals ofM. aeruginosa. Hydrodistillation and GC-MS were used to extract and analysis the volatile components of cells in exponential and stationary growth stage in normal growth condition and cells in exponential stage with additional AHLs. The results demonstrated that allelopathic chemicals existing in the stationary phase were induced and released when AHLs was added into the culture of cells in exponential phase, which indicated that AHLs may play role in growth state transition and interspecific competition inM. aeruginosavia regulation of production and release of volatile chemicals.