Abstract
The production of virulence factors by many pathogenic microorganisms depends on the intercellular communication system called quorum sensing, which involves the production and release of signal molecules known as autoinducers. Based on this, new-therapeutic strategies have emerged for the treatment of a variety of infections, such as the enzymatic degradation of signaling molecules, known as quorum quenching (QQ). In this study, we present the screening of QQ activity amongst 450 strains isolated from a bivalve hatchery in Granada (Spain), and the selection of the strain PQQ-42, which degrades a wide range of N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). The selected strain, identified as Alteromonas stellipolaris, degraded the accumulation of AHLs and reduced the production of protease and chitinase and swimming motility of a Vibrio species in co-cultivation experiments in vitro. In the bio-control experiment, strain PQQ-42 significantly reduced the pathogenicity of Vibrio mediterranei VibC-Oc-097 upon the coral Oculina patagonica showing a lower degree of tissue damage (29.25 ± 14.63%) in its presence, compared to when the coral was infected with V. mediterranei VibC-Oc-097 alone (77.53 ± 13.22%). Our results suggest that this AHL-degrading bacterium may have biotechnological applications in aquaculture.
Highlights
Over the past decades, aquaculture has grown at an impressive rate, mainly due to the global decline of world fish supplies and to fill human demand (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], 2014)
In order to carry out co-culture experiments we firstly evaluated whether the selected acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs)-degrading strain PQQ42 interfered with the growth of the four pathogenic strains V. anguillarum ATCC 19264T, V. nigripulchritudo CIP 103195T, V. metschnikovii NCTC 8483T, and V. mediterranei VibC-Oc097 by an antagonism experiment
Aquatic pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria can completely kill mollusks, fish, and coral populations that are reared in aquaculture facilities, resulting in severe economic loss (Paillard et al, 2004; Lafferty et al, 2015)
Summary
Aquaculture has grown at an impressive rate, mainly due to the global decline of world fish supplies and to fill human demand (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], 2014). Bacterial diseases are among the most critical problems in commercial aquaculture and are caused in many cases by the proliferation of opportunistic bacteria, such as Vibrio spp This proliferation if due to the high animal densities and increases organic matter content of these systems (Defoirdt et al, 2007; Ruwandeepika et al, 2012). DNA replication, and protein synthesis) have been used in many countries to control bacterial outbreaks This widespread use of antibiotics eventually has led to antibiotic resistance by fish pathogens (Brown and Tettelbach, 1988; Akinbowale et al, 2006; Agersø et al, 2007; WHO, 2014). It has recently been demonstrated that bacteria can develop resistance mechanisms to compounds that interfere with QS (Defoirdt et al, 2010; Maeda et al, 2012; García-Contreras et al, 2013, 2016; Kalia et al, 2014)
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