Bacteria that inhibit quorum sensing decrease biofilm formation and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

In this study, we investigated the biotherapeutic potential of previously isolated quorum quenching (QQ) bacteria. Some of them produce and secrete small compounds that inhibit quorum sensing (QS), others quench QS by enzymatic degradation of N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). The supernatant of cultures of these isolates was tested for inhibitory properties against P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilms. Most isolates had a moderate effect on biofilm formation, as shown by viability staining and/or staining of the biofilm biomass. A substantial part of the isolates reduced P. aeruginosa elastase production in a concentration-dependent manner. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model system for virulence testing, we found that some of the isolates were able to increase survival of P. aeruginosa PAO1 and Burkholderia cenocepacia LGM16656-infected nematodes when co-administered with the pathogen. Altogether, these data indicate that some QQ bacteria, or the active compounds they produce, could be useful to attenuate virulence of P. aeruginosa PAO1 and possibly also other Gram-negative pathogens that use AHLs to regulate the production of virulence factors.