Skip to main content
Log in

Inhibition of quorum-sensing-dependent phenotypic expression in Serratia marcescens by marine sediment Bacillus spp. SS4

  • Short Communications
  • Published:
Annals of Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of quorum sensing (QS) is well known for bacterial virulence, antibiotic resistance and biofilm production. Consequently, inhibition of QS may reduce the risk of microbial pathogenicity in systemic and local infections. Hence, in the present study, the marine sediment bacterial isolate Bacillus spp. SS4 (GenBank accession number GU471751) isolated from the Point Calimere coastal region was assessed for its anti-quorum-sensing (anti-QS) activity against acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent prodigiosin, protease production and biofilm formation in Serratia marcescens (FJ584421). The ethyl acetate extract obtained from SS4 exhibited a concentration-dependent (50–200 μg/ml) reduction in prodigiosin production in S. marcescens to a level of 40–87%. The azocasein-degrading proteolytic activity of S. marcescens was also reduced by up to 60%, when treated with the SS4 extract at a final concentration of 200 μg/ml. Light- and confocal laser scanning-microscopic (CLSM) analysis further confirmed the reduction in the biofilm-forming ability of S. marcescens when treated with this extract. In an antibiotic susceptibility assay, cells of S. marcescens showed increased susceptibility towards antibiotics in the presence of SS4 extract. In addition, SS4 extract by itself showed no growth inhibitory effect on S. marcescens. Thus, the results of present study reveal the anti-QS potential of Bacillus spp. SS4 by notably reducing AHL-dependent behaviors in S. marcescens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

References

  • Adonizio A, Kong KF, Mathee K (2008) Inhibition of quorum sensing-controlled virulence factor production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by south florida plant extracts. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 52:198–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakkiyaraj D, Pandian SK (2010) In vitro and in vivo antibiofilm activity of a coral associated actinomycete against drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Biofouling 26:711–717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brackman G, Defoirdt T, Miyamoto C, Bossier P, Calenbergh SV, Nelis H, Coenye T (2008) Cinnamaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde derivatives reduce virulence in Vibrio spp. by decreasing the DNA-binding activity of the quorum sensing response regulator LuxR. BMC Microbiol 8:149

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choo JH, Rukayadi Y, Hwang JK (2006) Inhibition of bacterial quorum sensing by vanilla extract. Lett Appl Microbiol 42:637–641

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuqua WC, Winans SC, Greenberg EP (1994) Quorum sensing in bacteria: the LuxR-LuxI family of cell density-responsive transcriptional regulators. J Bacteriol 176:269–275

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hejazi A, Falkiner FR (1997) Serratia marcescens. J Med Microbiol 46:903–912

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler E, Safrin M, Olson JC, Ohman DE (1993) Secreted LasA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a staphylolytic protease. J Biol Chem 268:7503–7508

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Labbate M, Queck SY, Koh KS, Rice SA, Givskov M, Kjelleberg S (2004) Quorum sensing controlled biofilm development in Serratia liquefaciens MG1. J Bacteriol 186:692–698

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maragakis LL, Winkler A, Tucker MG, Cosgrove SE, Ross T, Lawson E, Carroll KC, Perl TM (2008) Outbreak of multidrug-resistant Serratia marcescens infection in a neonatal intensive care unit. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 29:418–423

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morohoshi T, Shiono T, Takidouchi K, Kato M, Kato N, Kato J, Ikeda T (2007) Inhibition of quorum sensing in Serratia marcescens AS-1 by synthetic analogs of N-acyl homoserine lactone. Appl Environ Microbiol 73:6339–6344

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Musthafa KS, Ravi AV, Annapoorani A, Packiavathy ISV, Pandian SK (2010) Evaluation of antiquorum sensing activity of edible plants and fruits through inhibition of the N-acyl homoserine lactone system in Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chemotherapy 56:333–339

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen TB, Givskov M (2006) Quorum sensing inhibitors: a bargain of effects. Microbiology 152:895–904

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rice SA, Koh KS, Queck SY, Labbate M, Lam KW, Kjelleberg S (2005) Biofilm formation and sloughing in Serratia marcescens are controlled by quorum sensing and nutrient cues. J Bacteriol 187:3477–3485

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thenmozhi R, Nithyanand P, Rathna J, Pandian SK (2009) Antibiofilm activity of coral-associated bacteria against different clinical M serotypes of Streptococcus pyogenes. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 57:284–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei JR, Lai HC (2006) N-Acylhomoserine lactone-dependent cell-to-cell communication and social behavior in the genus Serratia. Int J Med Microbiol 296:117–124

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams P (2002) Quorum sensing: an emerging target for antimicrobial chemotherapy? Expert Opin Ther Targets 6:257–274

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • You JL, Xue XL, Cao LX, Lu X, Wang J, Zhang LX, Zhou SN (2007) Inhibition of Vibrio biofilm formation by a marine actinomycete strain A66. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 76:1137–1144

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance rendered by University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi [F.No. 34-257/2008 (SR)] and the computational and bioinformatics facility provided by the Alagappa University Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility (funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India; Grant No. BT/BI/25/001/2006).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Veera Ravi Arumugam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khadar, S.M., Shunmugiah, K.P. & Arumugam, V.R. Inhibition of quorum-sensing-dependent phenotypic expression in Serratia marcescens by marine sediment Bacillus spp. SS4. Ann Microbiol 62, 443–447 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-011-0262-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-011-0262-1

Keywords

Navigation