Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) to sense population density and regulate gene expression, including virulent phenotypes. The quorum-quenching AHL lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis cleaves the lactone ring of AHLs, disabling this mode of gene regulation. Despite the potential applications of this enzyme as an antibacterial weapon, little was known about it's lactone ring-opening mechanism. As a member of the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily, AHL lactonase requires two divalent metal ions for catalysis. NMR experiments confirm that these metal ions are also involved in proper enzyme folding. The chemical mechanism of ring opening was explored using isotope incorporation studies, and hydrolysis was determined to proceed via a nucleophilic attack by a solvent-derived hydroxide at the carbonyl of the lactone ring. A transient, kinetically significant metal-leaving group interaction was detected in steady-state kinetic assays with AHL lactonase containing alternative divalent metal ions hydrolyzing a sulfur-containing substrate. High-resolution crystal structures implicated two residues in substrate binding and hydrolysis, Tyr194 and Asp108. Site-directed mutagenesis of these residues followed by steady-state kinetic studies with wild-type and mutant enzymes hydrolyzing a spectrum of AHL substrates revealed that mutations Y194F and D108N significantly affect catalysis. Combining these results allows the proposal of a detailed hydrolytic mechanism. The binding site for the N-acyl hydrophobic moiety was probed using steady-state kinetics with a variety of naturally occurring and non-natural AHL substrates, and these studies indicate that AHL lactonase will accept a broad range of homoserine lactone containing substrates. Crystal structures with AHL substrates and non-hydrolyzable analogs reveal two distinct binding sites for this N-acyl group. Based on the ability of this enzyme to accommodate a variety of substrates, AHL lactonase was shown to have the ability to quench quorum sensing regulated by a newly discovered class of homoserine lactone signal molecules possessing an N-aryl group using a bioassay. Steady-state kinetic studies confirm that this class of signal molecules are indeed substrates for AHL lactonase. / text

Chez les Vibrio spp., le QS est impliqué dans de nombreuses fonctions comme la colonisation de niche écologiques, les stratégies de survie ou encore la virulence. Cependant, pour la majorité des espèces de Vibrio, la diversité des AHLs produites reste largement sous-estimée et l'étude du QS est encore limitée à quelques espèces modèles ou pathogènes. Toutefois, dans les environnements aquatiques, ces espèces sont minoritaires et les espèces les plus abondantes ne sont que très peu étudiées. Nos résultats ont révélé une importante diversité d'AHLs mais aussi, de façon surprenante, une hétérogénéité dans les phénotypes de production d'AHL au sein d'une même espèce de Vibrio. Pour la première fois, nous avons mis en évidence qu'une même souche de Vibrio pouvait présenter des phénotypes de production d'AHLs différent au cours du temps et une approche statistique a révélé l'implication de certains déterminants biotiques et abiotiques dans ces variations temporelles. Par ailleurs, une approche à micro-échelle a révélé une structuration des populations de Vibrio en unités fonctionnelles constituées de souches phylogénétiquement proches qui partagent des niches écologiques spécifiques et des comportements sociaux. Nos résultats ont mis en évidence que les modalités de communication pouvaient être hétérogènes suggérant l'absence d'un langage commun au sein de ces unités fonctionnelles. En conclusion, ce travail de thèse a permis d'apporter de nouvelles connaissances sur le QS chez les Vibrio dans l'environnement marin, de la souche à la population, et propose une vision intégrée des mécanismes de régulation de la production d'AHLs dans l'environnement. / Quorum sensing is an important mechanism among Vibrio species and is involved in many vital functions such as niche colonization, survival strategies or virulence. However, AHL diversity still largely underestimated for the majority of Vibrio species and the current knowledge on AHL-mediated QS is limited to a few pathogenic or bioluminescent species. Nonetheless, these species are weakly abundant in seawater while dominant species in the environment are poorly studied. Our results revealed a unexpected diversity of AHL molecules but also a quite surprising intra-species diversity of AHL production phenotypes. For the first time, we showed that different isolates of a single genotype switched between different AHL production phenotypes among time and we revealed the potential involvement of abiotic and biotic parameters in these variations. However, it appears that when studied at a microscale, Vibrio populations are showing a functional structuration in ecological units consisting of phylogenetically close strains sharing habitat and social traits. In this context, it was necessary to determine if these different AHL production phenotypes were associated to different micro-habitats in the water column. We did not demonstrate that a common language was spoken within ecological populations. This thesis work provide new insights on AHL-mediated QS among a broader range of species and among Vibrio populations and depicts the potential impact of multiple aspects of marine environments on AHL production.

Les bactéries sont capables de communiquer entre elles afin de coordonner l’expression de certains gènes en fonction de leur densité de population. Ce système de communication utilise de petites molécules appelées autoinducteurs (AIs) comme messagers chimiques et est connu sous le nom de Quorum Sensing (QS). Chez les bactéries pathogènes, les gènes régulés sont, en particulier, ceux codant pour la production des facteurs de virulence et la structuration des biofilms. Ainsi des inhibiteurs du QS chez ces bactéries pourraient être de nouveaux agents anti-bactériens alternatifs aux antibiotiques actuels. Chez les bactéries à Gram-négatif, les AIs sont très majoritairement des acyl-homosérine lactones (AHLs). Utilisant deux approches, la conception rationnelle et le criblage virtuel, nous avons découvert cinq nouvelles familles d’antagonistes des AHLs, ainsi qu’un certain nombre d’agonistes. Nous avons également préparé des analogues d’antagonistes naturels de la famille des bromo-furanones, afin d’établir une étude structure-activité de ce type de composés. / The bacteria are able to communicate with each other for coordinating gene expression depending on their population density. This communication system use small molecules called autoinducers (AIs) as chemical messengers and is referred to as quorum sensing (QS). In pathogenic bacteria, the regulated genes are, in particular, those coding for the production of virulence factors and biofilms formation. Thus, inhibitors of bacterial QS could be used as new anti-bacterial agents providing an alternative to current antibiotics. In Gram-negative bacteria, the main AIs are acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). Using two approaches, rational design and virtual screening, we have discovered five new families of AHLs antagonists, and some agonists. We have also prepared analogues of natural bromo-furanones antagonists, in order to establish a structure-activity study of this type of compounds.

Orientador: Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T13:06:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pomini_ArmandoMateus_D.pdf: 4501241 bytes, checksum: 249f7514962993874b22ddcad9831cc8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / As bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas possuem um mecanismo de comunicação química intra-específico conhecido como ¿quorum-sensing¿, regulando a expressão de uma vasta gama de atividades biológicas. As bactérias Gram-negativas utilizam acil-homosserina lactonas (acil-HSLs) como principais substâncias sinalizadoras. Na presente tese, relatamos a determinação da configuração absoluta do raro metabólito (S)-(-)-N-heptanoil-HSL produzida pela bactéria fitopatogênica Pantoea ananatis. A configuração absoluta desta substância foi determinada através da técnica de cromatografia gasosa com detecção por ionização em chama com coluna quiral, através de comparações de tempo de retenção e co-injeção com padrões sintetizados. Avaliou-se também a importância da configuração absoluta para a atividade antimicrobiana de acil-HSLs contra bactérias Gram-positivas (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus e Staphylococcus aureus). Curiosamente, o enantiômero não natural (R)-N-3-oxo-octanoil-HSL foi tão ativo quanto o produto natural (S). Estudou-se também as interações da (S)-N-3-oxo-octanoil-HSL com células de Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) através da técnica de ressonância magnética nuclear de hidrogênio por diferença de transferência de saturação (STD-RMN), revelando que o primeiro evento de interação da substância com a célula ocorre com a região lipídica da membrana celular externa. Finalmente, realizou-se o estudo químico das substâncias sinalizadoras produzidas pela bactéria Methylobacterium mesophilicum, que ocorre simbioticamente com a bactéria Xylella fastidiosa nos vasos condutores de laranjeiras atacadas pela clorose variegada dos citros. Entre os vários resultados inéditos, reportamos a caracterização e síntese do produto natural inédito (S)-N-(2E)-dodecenoil-HSL e a primeira síntese do metabólito (S)-N-(2E, 7Z)-tetradecadienil-HSL. Outrossim, reportamos a primeira caracterização da configuração absoluta de cinco acil-HSLs naturais de cadeia longa. Realizou-se também estudos relacionados aos efeitos das acil-HSLs sintéticas contra bactérias Gram-positivas endofíticas da laranjeira. Adicionalmente, caracterizou-se a secreção de defesa do opilião Hoplobunus mexicanus. O repertório de defesa deste animal é composto por dois componentes voláteis de alta irritabilidade (2,5-dimetil-fenol e 2-metil-5-etil-fenol), além da tanatose e emissão de sons, uma característica inédita em opiliões / Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria use quorum sensing communication circuits to regulate a diverse array of physiological activities. In general, Gram-negative bacteria use acylated homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs) as autoinducers, and Gram-positive bacteria use processed oligo-peptides. In the present work, we relate the absolute configuration determination of the rare metabolite (S)-(-)-N-heptanoyl-HSL produced by the phytopathogen Pantoea ananatis. The absolute configuration was determined by gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection with chiral column, through retention time comparison and co-injections with synthetic products. The importance of the absolute configuration for the antimicrobial activity of acyl-HSL against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) was assessed. Curiously, non-natural (R)-N-3-oxo-octanoyl-HSL was as active as the natural product with (S) absolute configuration. The interaction of (S)-N-3-oxo-octanoil-HSL with Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) cells was further studied using hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance experiments with saturation transfer difference (STD-NMR) revealing that the first binding event is the diffusion through the lipidic part of the outer membrane. Finally, we have investigated the chemical study of the signaling substances produced by Methylobacterium mesophilicum, which co-occurs with Xylella fastidiosa in orange trees affected by the citrus variegated chlorosis disease. Among several results, we report herein the characterization and synthesis of a new natural product [(S)-N-(2E)-dodecenoyl-HSL], the first synthetic procedure for the rare (S)-N-(2E,7Z)-tetradecadienyl-HSL and the occurrence of a rare long, odd chain representative (N-tridecanoyl-HSL) in trace amounts. We report the first absolute configuration determination for five natural acyl-HSLs. We have also studied the effects of synthetic acyl-HSLs on Gram positive bacteria isolated from orange tissues. Additionally, the defensive secretion produced by the harvestman Hoplobunus mexicanus was characterized. The defensive repertory of this arachnid includes two irritating and volatile components (2,5-dimethyl-phenol and 2-methyl-5-ethyl-phenol), besides thanatosis and sound emission, a new behavioral artifice in opilionids / Doutorado / Quimica Organica / Doutor em Ciências

The black band disease (BBD) microbial consortium often causes mortality of reef-building corals. Microbial chemical interactions (i.e., quorum sensing (QS) and antimicrobial production) may be involved in the BBD disease process. Culture filtrates (CFs) from over 150 bacterial isolates from BBD and the surface mucopolysaccharide layer (SML) of healthy and diseased corals were screened for acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) and Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) QS signals using bacterial reporter strains. AHLs were detected in all BBD mat samples and nine CFs. More than half of the CFs (~55%) tested positive for AI-2. Approximately 27% of growth challenges conducted among 19 isolates showed significant growth inhibition. These findings demonstrate that QS is actively occurring within the BBD microbial mat and that culturable bacteria from BBD and the coral SML are able to produce QS signals and antimicrobial compounds. This is the first study to identify AHL production in association with active coral disease.

Yes / Bacteria sense their own population size, tune the expression of responding genes, and behave accordingly to environmental stimuli by secreting signaling molecules. This phenomenon is termed as quorum sensing (QS). By exogenously manipulating the signal transduction bacterial population behaviors could be controlled, which may be done through quorum quenching (QQ). QS related regulatory networks have been proven their involvement in regulating many virulence determinants in pathogenic bacteria in the course of infections. Interfering with QS signaling system could be a novel strategy against bacterial infections and therefore requires more understanding of their fundamental mechanisms. Here we review the development of studies specifically on the inhibition of production of N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL), a common proteobacterial QS signal. The opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, equips the alkylquinolone (AQ)-mediated QS which also plays crucial roles in its pathogenicity. The studies in QQ targeting on AQ are also discussed. / University of Malaya High Impact Research Grants (UMC/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/01, A-000001-50001,and UMC/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/14/1, H-50001-A000027)

Yes / Burkholderia spp. rely on N-acyl homoserine lactone as quorum-sensing signal molecules which coordinate their phenotype at the population level. In this work, we present the whole genome of Burkholderia sp. strain A9, which enables the discovery of its N-acyl homoserine lactone synthase gene. / UM High Impact Research Grants (UM-MOHE HIR grant UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/01, H-50001-A000001 and UMMOHE HIR Grant UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/14/1, H-50001- A000027)

This thesis entitled ‘ Unusual Acylation Properties of Type II Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Acyl Carrier Proteins’ describes the discovery of self-acylation and malonyl transferase activity in acyl carrier proteins involved in type II fatty acid biosynthesis and assigns a physiological role to these processes inside the cellular milieu. Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is one of the most abundant proteins present inside the cell and almost 4% enzymes require it as a cofactor. Acyl carrier proteins can exist either as discrete proteins or as domains of large functional proteins. They function in a variety of synthases as central molecules to which growing acyl intermediates and nascent product molecules are covalently tethered during the elongation and modification steps required to produce the final product. A prototypical bacterial ACP is composed of 70-80 amino acids and is generally expressed in the apo form. It is post-translationally modified to active holo form by the addition of 4'-phosphopantetheine moiety to an absolutely conserved serine residue in a reaction catalyzed by holo-ACP synthase or 4'-phosphopantetheine transferase. Chapter 1 surveys literature related to carrier proteins inside the cell and describes the thesis objective. It also presents an overview of the acyl carrier proteins and their involvement in various metabolic pathways inside the cell. The chapter details the structural organization of acyl carrier proteins from various sources revealing the conservation in their structure and also details the molecular basis of interaction of ACP with other enzymes inside the cell. The discovery of unusual self-acylation property in acyl carrier proteins involved in polyketide biosynthesis and its absence in acyl carrier proteins involved in fatty acid biosynthesis prompted me to investigate the reasons for this selective behavior. Discovery of self-acylation property in acyl carrier proteins Plasmodium falciparum and chloroplast targeted Brassica napus acyl carrier proteins involved in type II fatty acid biosynthesis and the mechanism of this reaction forms the basis of Chapter 2. In this chapter it has been shown that self-acylation property is intrinsic to a given acyl carrier protein and is not dependent on the pathway in which it is involved. Based on primary sequence analysis and site directed mutagenesis studies presence of an aspartate/glutamate has been identified to be critical for the self-acylation event. Furthermore, it has also been shown that the self-acylation event in type II fatty acid biosynthesis acyl carrier proteins is highly specific in nature employing only dicarboxylic acid –CoAs as substrates unlike the polyketide biosynthesis acyl carrier proteins which utilize both dicarboxylic acid and β-keto acid thiol ester -CoAs as substrates. The detailed kinetics of these reactions has also been worked out. Combining all the results a plausible mechanism for the self-acylation reaction has been proposed. Chapter 3 describes the discovery of a novel malonyl transferase behavior in acyl carrier proteins involved in type II fatty acid biosynthesis. Malonyl transferase property in ACPs of type II FAS from a bacterium (Escherichia coli), a plant (Brassica napus) and a parasitic protozoon (Plasmodium falciparum) were investigated to present a unifying paradigm for the mechanism of malonyl transferase behavior in ACPs. Identification of malonyl transferase property in Plasmodium falciparum ACP and Escherichia coli ACP (EcACP) and the absence of this property in Brassica napus ACP has been described in this chapter. Detailed investigations demonstrated that presence of an arginine or a lysine in loop II and an arginine or glutamine at the start of helix III as the residues that are critical for the transferase activity. In order to assign a physiologic function to these unusual acylation properties, fabD(Ts) mutant strain of Escherichia coli was utilized for heterologous complementation by the various wild type and mutant ACPs that are able to catalyze either or both of the activities. Growth of the mutant strain at non-permissive temperature, when complemented with ACPs catalyzing both the reactions confirmed that these properties have a physiologic relevance. Extensive mutagenesis experiments in conjunction with complementation studies allowed me to propose a plausible mechanism on how the self-malonylation and malonyl transferase properties operate in tandem. Chapter 4 describes the thermodynamic characterization of self-acylation process using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry. Isothermal Titration Calorimetric studies on the binding of malonyl, succinyl, butyryl and methylmalonyl –CoA to Plasmodium falciparum and Brassica napus acyl carrier proteins were performed to investigate the role of thermodynamic parameters in the specificity of self-acylation reaction. Calculation of the parameters showed that the thermodynamics does not control the self-acylation reaction. The evolution of self-acylation property in various acyl carrier proteins and its possible significance in the evolution of various metabolic events is described in Chapter 5. Extensive bioinformatics search was performed and phylogenetic analysis on acyl carrier proteins from 60 different taxa was done using the MEGA4 program. Analysis showed that this property was first found in cyanobacterium. Later, during the course of evolution this property was lost in most acyl carrier proteins, and was retained either in acyl carrier proteins that are targeted to organelles of cyanobaterial orgin viz. apicoplast in apicomplexans and chlorplasts in plants or in acyl carrier proteins involved in secondary metabolic events such as polyketide biosynthesis. Chapter 6 summarizes the findings of the thesis. Acyl carrier protein from Plasmodium falciparum, Brassica napus and Escherichia coli were characterized for their self-acylation and malonyl transferase properties and a combined mechanism for these two properties is proposed. The work done also provides an in vivo rationale to these in vitro processes. Furthermore, the evolutionary significance of the self-acylation behavior is also discussed in the thesis. The thesis also probes into the thermodynamics of the self-acylation reaction in Plasmodium falciparum and Brassica napus acyl carrier proteins. Thus, the thesis adds a new dimension to the much unexplored ACP biology and paves the way to study in vivo roles of these processes in detail. Appendix I describes the Isothermal Titration calorimetric characterization of binding of various acyl-PO4 molecules to Escherichia coli PlsX (Acyl-phosphate acyltransferase). PlsX, the first enzyme of phosphatidic acid biosynthesis pathway catalyzes the conversion of acyl-ACP into acyl-PO4, which is further used by other enzymes leading to the formation of phosphatidic acid. ITC results presented in this section show that longer chain length acyl-PO4 molecules show better binding to PlsX, as compared to the smaller ones demonstrating that long chain acyl molecules serve as better substrates for phosphatidic acid synthesis.

Le « quorum sensing » (QS) est un moyen de communication bactérienne impliquant des petites molécules appelées auto-inducteurs qui au-delà d’un certain seuil de concentration induisent une synchronisation de l’expression génétique au sein de la communauté bactérienne. Ce mécanisme est impliqué dans plusieurs processus bactériens tels que la luminescence, la formation du biofilm, ce qui en fait une cible privilégiée pour l’inhibition du biofilm bactérien nuisible aux activités humaines. Plusieurs systèmes QS ont été identifiés ; les plus étudiés sont le système AHL (acyl homoserine lactone) et le système AI2 (auto inducteur 2). L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de caractériser le(s) système(s) QS de Shewanella woodyi, une bactérie marine luminescente capable de coloniser rapidement une surface et de former un biofilm. L’utilisation de biosenseurs de référence et des expériences de LC-MS ont montré que S. woodyi synthétise la C8-HSL et l’AI2. La mutation des gènes impliqués dans la synthèse ou la détection des HSL abolit la luminescence mais n’affecte pas la formation du biofilm. De plus, le système AI2 ne semble pas impliqué dans la luminescence et la formation de biofilm de S. woodyi. L’absence d’un récepteur d’AI2 suggère que cette molécule n’a pas un rôle régulateur et qu’elle ne serait qu’un produit secondaire du métabolisme cellulaire. Ce travail a donc permis de caractériser les 2 principaux systèmes QS de S. woodyi et pourrait permettre d’en faire un nouveau biosenseur marin. / Quorum sensing (QS) is a bacterial communication system involving small molecules called autoinducers which above a threshold concentration, induce the synchronization of genes expression within the bacterial community. This mechanism is involved in several bacterial processes such as luminescence and biofilm formation, making it a preferred target for the inhibition of bacterial biofilm harmful to human activities. Several QS systems have been identified; the most studied ones are the AHL system (acylhomoserine lactone) and the AI2 system (autoinducer 2). The main objective of this thesis is to characterize the QS system (s) of Shewanella woodyi, a luminescent marine bacterium able to rapidly colonize a surface and form a biofilm. The use of reference biosensors and LC-MS experiments have shown that S. woodyi synthesizes C8-HSL and AI2. The mutation of the genes involved in the synthesis or detection of HSL abolishes luminescence but does not affect the biofilm formation. Moreover, the AI2 system does not appear to be involved in the luminescence and biofilm formation of S. woodyi. The absence of an AI2 receptor suggests that this molecule does not have a regulatory role and that it is only a secondary product of cellular metabolism. This work has allowed the characterization of the 2 main QS systems of S. woodyi, which could make this strain a new marine biosensor.

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