Quorum-quenching acylase reduces the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 Nov;53(11):4891-7. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00380-09. Epub 2009 Aug 31.

Abstract

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 gene pvdQ encodes an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) acylase capable of degrading N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone by cleaving the AHL amide. PvdQ has been proven to function as a quorum quencher in vitro in a number of phenotypic assays. To address the question of whether PvdQ also shows quorum-quenching properties in vivo, an infection model based on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was explored. In a fast-acting paralysis assay, strain PAO1(pMEpvdQ), which overproduces PvdQ, was shown to be less virulent than the wild-type strain. More than 75% of the nematodes exposed to PAO1(pMEpvdQ) survived and continued to grow when using this strain as a food source. Interestingly, in a slow-killing assay monitoring the survival of the nematodes throughout a 4-day course, strain PAO1-Delta pvdQ was shown to be more virulent than the wild-type strain, confirming the role of PvdQ as a virulence-reducing agent. It was observed that larval stage 1 (L1) to L3-stage larvae benefit much more from protection by PvdQ than L4 worms. Finally, purified PvdQ protein was added to C. elegans worms infected with wild-type PAO1, and this resulted in reduced pathogenicity and increased the life span of the nematodes. From our observations we can conclude that PvdQ might be a strong candidate for antibacterial therapy against Pseudomonas infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 4-Butyrolactone / analogs & derivatives
  • 4-Butyrolactone / analysis
  • Acyl-Butyrolactones / metabolism*
  • Amidohydrolases / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / microbiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Homoserine / analogs & derivatives
  • Homoserine / analysis
  • Hydrogen Cyanide / toxicity
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / enzymology*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
  • Quorum Sensing*
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones
  • N-(3-oxododecanoyl)homoserine lactone
  • Hydrogen Cyanide
  • Homoserine
  • Amidohydrolases
  • amidase
  • 4-Butyrolactone