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Reducing Virulence and Biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Potential Quorum Sensing Inhibitor Carotenoid: Zeaxanthin

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Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa can regulate its virulence gene expressions by using a signal system called quorum sensing. It is known that inhibition of quorum sensing can block biofilm formation and leave the bacteria defenseless. Therefore, it is necessary to determine natural sources to obtain potential quorum sensing inhibitors. This study aims to investigate an alternative treatment approach by utilizing the carotenoid zeaxanthin to reduce the expressions of P. aeruginosa virulence factors through quorum sensing inhibition. The inhibition potential of zeaxanthin was determined by in silico screening from a library of 638 lichen metabolites. Fluorescent monitor strains were utilized for quorum sensing inhibitor screens, and quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR assay was performed for evaluating gene expression. Results indicate that zeaxanthin is a better inhibitor than the lichen secondary metabolite evernic acid, which was previously shown to be capable of inhibiting P. aeruginosa quorum sensing systems.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [113S306 COST FA1202]. We thank Tim Holm Jakobsen and Michael Givskov for providing the monitor strains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Barış Gökalsın & Nüzhet Cenk Sesal

  2. Department of Biophysics, Institute of Health Sciences, Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Busecan Aksoydan

  3. Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Burak Erman

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  1. Barış Gökalsın
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  2. Busecan Aksoydan
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  3. Burak Erman
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  4. Nüzhet Cenk Sesal
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Correspondence to Nüzhet Cenk Sesal.

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Barış Gökalsın and Busecan Aksoydan contributed equally to this study.

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Gökalsın, B., Aksoydan, B., Erman, B. et al. Reducing Virulence and Biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Potential Quorum Sensing Inhibitor Carotenoid: Zeaxanthin. Microb Ecol 74, 466–473 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-017-0949-3

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