The effects of betonicine, floridoside, and isethionic acid from the red alga Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis on quorum-sensing activity

Abstract

A mixture of three compounds (betonicine, floridoside, and isethionic acid) purified from the red alga Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis, was reported to have an inhibition activity on bacterial quorum sensing mechanism mediated by Noctanoyl-dl-homoserine lactone (OHL) and the TraR transcriptional activator protein. We subsequently conducted a more detailed investigation of the three compounds using chemically synthesized (betonicine and floridoside) or commercially available (isethionic acid) compounds, individually or in various combinations. When tested alone, none of the three compounds inhibited OHL, but a mixture of floridoside and isethionic acid exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the function of OHL. In contrast, betonicine or its isomer exhibited a dose-dependent stimulatory effect, similar to OHL, at concentrations between 10−3 and 10−6 M. These three compounds will be useful for elucidating the interaction between OHL and TraR, and for developing novel bacterial quorum-sensing inhibitors.