Open AccessQuorum sensing in metal tolerance of Acinetobacter junii BB1A is associated with biofilm production
Author(s) -
Sarkar Suchitra,
Chakraborty Ranadhir
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01080.x
Subject(s) - quorum sensing , biofilm , autoinducer , chromobacterium violaceum , bacteria , homoserine , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biology , genetics
Acinetobacter junii strain BB1A, a novel metal‐tolerant bacterium, produced biofilm in the presence of added ions such as Ni 2+ , AsO 2 − , Cd 2+ and Hg 2+ on surfaces such as glass and polystyrene. Generation of a metal‐sensitive and adhesion‐deficient mutant by transposition of Tn 5‐mob in the A. junii genome has putatively confirmed the association of metal tolerance with the production of biofilm. The requirement of a critical cell density for biofilm formation and presence of acyl‐homoserine lactone‐like autoinducer molecules in the cell‐free supernatant indicated the phenomenon of quorum sensing. Addition of a natural quorum‐sensing inhibitor (garlic extract) or synthetic quorum‐sensing inhibitor (4‐nitro‐pyridine oxide) significantly inhibited cell growth and biofilm formation in the presence of metal/metalloid ions.