Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Journal of Bacteriology, December 2000, p. 6921-6926, Vol. 182, No. 24
Department of Microbiology, University of
Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Received 19 May 2000/Accepted 27 September 2000
Acyl-homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs) serve as dedicated
cell-to-cell signaling molecules in many species of the class
Proteobacteria. We have addressed the question of whether
these compounds can be degraded biologically. A motile, rod-shaped
bacterium was isolated from soil based upon its ability to utilize
N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone as the sole source of energy and nitrogen. The bacterium was
classified as a strain of Variovorax paradoxus. The
V. paradoxus isolate was capable of growth on all of the
acyl-HSLs tested. The molar growth yields correlated with the length of
the acyl group. HSL, a product of acyl-HSL metabolism, was used as a
nitrogen source, but not as an energy source. Cleavage and partial
mineralization of the HSL ring were demonstrated by using radiolabeled
substrate. This study indicates that some strains of V. paradoxus degrade and grow on acyl-HSL signals as the sole energy
and nitrogen sources. This study provides clues about the metabolic
pathway of acyl-HSL degradation by V. paradoxus.
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Metabolism of Acyl-Homoserine Lactone
Quorum-Sensing Signals by Variovorax paradoxus
and
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242. Phone: (319)
335-7990. Fax: (319) 335-7949. E-mail:
epgreen{at}blue.weeg.uiowa.edu.
Present address: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125.
This article has been cited by other articles:
| Appl. Environ. Microbiol. | Infect. Immun. | Eukaryot. Cell |
|---|---|---|
| Mol. Cell. Biol. | J. Virol. | Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. |
| ALL ASM JOURNALS |