Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Gram-negative quorum sensing signalling enhances biofilm formation and virulence traits in gram-positive pathogen Enterococcus faecalis

Published inJournal of oral microbiology, vol. 15, no. 1, 2208901
Publication date2023
First online date2023-05-11
Abstract

Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are typical quorum-sensing molecules of gram-negative bacteria. Recent evidence suggests that AHLs may also affect gram-positives, although knowledge of these interactions remains scarce. Here, we assessed the effect of AHLs on biofilm formation and transcriptional regulations in the gram-positiveEnterococcus faecalis. FiveE. faecalisstrains were investigated herein. Crystal violet was employed to quantify the biomass formed, and confocal microscopy in combination with SYTO9/PI allowed the visualisation of biofilms' structure. The differential expression of 10 genes involved in quorum-sensing, biofilm formation and stress responses was evaluated using reverse-transcription-qPCR. The AHL exposure significantly increased biofilm production in strain ATCC 29212 and two isolates from infected dental roots, UmID4 and UmID5. In strains ATCC 29212 and UmID7, AHLs up-regulated the quorum-sensing genes (fsrC,cylA), the adhesinsace,efaAandasa1, together with the glycosyltransferaseepaQ. In strain UmID7, AHL exposure additionally up-regulated two membrane-stress response genes (σV,groEL) associated with increased stress-tolerance and virulence. Altogether, our results demonstrate that AHLs promote biofilm formation and up-regulate a transcriptional network involved in virulence and stress tolerance in severalE. faecalisstrains. These data provide yet-unreported insights intoE. faecalisbiofilm responses to AHLs, a family of molecules long-considered the monopole of gram-negative signalling.

Keywords
  • Enterococcus faecalis
  • Fsrc
  • Acyl-homoserine lactones
  • Biofilm formation
  • Cell-to-cell communication
  • Endodontic infection
  • Gene expression
  • Quorum sensing
  • Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR
  • Virulence
Citation (ISO format)
PARGA MARTINEZ, Ana et al. Gram-negative quorum sensing signalling enhances biofilm formation and virulence traits in gram-positive pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. In: Journal of oral microbiology, 2023, vol. 15, n° 1, p. 2208901. doi: 10.1080/20002297.2023.2208901
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Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Journal ISSN2000-2297
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