Juglone as a Natural Quorum Sensing Inhibitor against pqs-Mediated Virulence and Biofilms.

is a notorious opportunistic pathogen associated with chronic biofilm-related infections, posing a significant challenge to effective treatment strategies. Quorum sensing (QS) and biofilm formation are critical virulence factors employed by , contributing to its pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance. Other than the homoserine-based QS systems, also possesses the quinolone-based Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) QS signaling.

Simultaneous Dissemination of Nanoplastics and Antibiotic Resistance by Nematode Couriers.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are increasingly recognized as a newly emerging pollutant in the environment. NPs can enable the colonization of microbial pathogens on their surfaces and adsorb toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals and residual antibiotics. Although the dissemination of plastic particles in water bodies and the atmosphere is widely studied, the dissemination of NPs and adsorbed pollutants on land, via biological means, is poorly understood.

Biofilm matrix cloaks bacterial quorum sensing chemoattractants from predator detection.

Microbes often secrete high levels of quorum sensing (QS) autoinducers into the environment to coordinate gene expression and biofilm formation, but risk detection and subsequent predation by bacterivorous predators. With such prominent signaling molecules acting as chemoattractants that diffuse into the environment at alarmingly high concentrations, it is unclear if bacterial cells can mask their chemical trails from predator detection. Here, we describe a microbial-based anti-detection adaptation, termed as "biofilm cloak", where the biofilm prey produced biofilm matrix exopolysaccharides that "locked" and reduced the leaching of autoinducers into the milieu, thereby concealing their trails to the detection by the bacterivorous Caenorhabditis elegans nematode.

The effects of biofilms on tumor progression in a 3D cancer-biofilm microfluidic model.

Components within the tumor microenvironment, such as intratumoral bacteria (IB; within tumors), affect tumor progression. However, current experimental models have not explored the effects of extratumoral bacteria (EB; outside tumors) on cancer progression. Here, we developed a microfluidic platform to analyze the influence of bacterial distribution on bladder cancer progression under defined conditions, using uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Biofilm matrix disrupts nematode motility and predatory behavior.

In nature, bacteria form biofilms by producing exopolymeric matrix that encases its entire community. While it is widely known that biofilm matrix can prevent bacterivore predation and contain virulence factors for killing predators, it is unclear if they can alter predator motility. Here, we report a novel "quagmire" phenotype, where Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms could retard the motility of bacterivorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans via the production of a specific exopolysaccharide, Psl.

Vanillin inhibits PqsR-mediated virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Reduced efficacy of antibiotics in bacterial diseases is a global concern in clinical settings. Development of anti-virulence compounds which disarm bacterial virulence is an attractive therapeutic agent for complementary antibiotics usage. One potential target for anti-virulence compounds is quorum sensing (QS), the intercellular communication system in most pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.