Improved quorum sensing capacity by culturing Vibrio harveyi in microcapsules

Anti-Quorum Sensing Activity of Probiotics: The Mechanism and Role in Food and Gut Health

Background: Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication mechanism that occurs between inter- and intra-bacterial species and is regulated by signaling molecules called autoinducers (AIs). It has been suggested that probiotics can exert a QS inhibitory effect through their metabolites. Purpose: To provide an overview of (1) the anti-QS activity of probiotics and its mechanism against foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria; (2) the potential role of the QS of probiotics in gut health; and (3) the impact of microencapsulation on QS. Results: Lactobacillus species have been extensively studied for their anti-QS activity and have been found to effectively disrupt QS in vitro. However, their effectiveness in a food matrix is yet to be determined as they interfere with the AI receptor or its synthesis. QS plays an important role in both the biofilm formation of probiotics and pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, in vitro and animal studies have shown that QS molecules can modulate cytokine responses and gut dysbiosis and maintain intestinal barrier function. In this scenario, microencapsulation was found to enhance AI activity. However, its impact on the anti-QS activity of probiotics and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Conclusions: Probiotics are potential candidates to block QS activity in foodborne pathogenic and food spoilage bacteria. Microencapsulation increases QS efficacy. However, more research is still needed for the identification of the QS inhibitory metabolites from probiotics and for the elucidation of the anti-QS mechanism of probiotics (microcapsules and free cells) in food and the human gut.

Enhanced quorum sensing capacity via regulating microenvironment to facilitate stress resistance of probiotic in alginate-based microcapsules

Alginate-based microcapsule has becoming a promising carrier for probiotic encapsulation due to the improved stress resistant ability. Besides the physical protection of microcapsules, bacterial quorum sensing (QS) is another prominent factor affecting microbial stress resistance in microcapsules. In the present study, Vibrio harveyi cells were entrapped and proliferated into cell aggregates in alginate-based microcapsules. The microenvironment composed of cells and biomacromolecules was regulated by the diameter, alginate concentration and core state of microcapsule. Then the effect of microenvironment on bacterial QS capacity was investigated, including bioluminescence, autoinducers (AIs) production and QS related genes expression. The highest diameter of 1200 μm and highest alginate concentration of 2.0 % w/v under the investigation range presented strongest QS capacity, and the maintenance of hydrogel core could enhance bacterial QS. Moreover, the mechanism analysis revealed that the formed biofilm on the surface of cell aggregates hampered the outward transfer of AIs, and the local AIs inside the cell aggregates induced stronger bacteria QS by close-range interaction. As a whole, these findings are helpful to guide the technological development and optimization of microencapsulated probiotics with stronger stress resistance, and the potential application in food, dairy, wastewater treatment and biosensor.

Capsules with bacteria and fungi in distinct compartments: A platform for studying microbes from different kingdoms and their cross-communication

Recently, we have created ‘artificial cells’ with an architecture mimicking that of typical eukaryotic cells. Our design uses common biopolymers like alginate and chitosan to create multi-compartment capsules (MCCs) via oil-free microfluidics. MCCs (~ 500 μm in diameter) can be engineered with multiple inner compartments, each with a distinct payload. This mimics the distinct organelles in eukaryotic cells, each of which has unique properties. In this study, we encapsulate microbial cells from two distinct kingdoms — Pseudomonas aeruginosa (bacteria) and Candida albicans (fungi) — in the inner compartments of MCCs. The two microbes are commonly found in biofilms at sites of infection in humans. We first demonstrate that the MCC can serve as a simple platform to observe the comparative growth of the cells in real time. Unlike typical co-culture in solution or on agar plates, the cells can grow in their own compartments without direct physical contact. Moreover, the hydrogel matrix in the compartments mimics the three-dimensional (3-D) environment that cells naturally encounter during their growth. Small molecules added to the solution are shown to permeate through the capsule walls and affect cell growth: for example, cationic surfactants inhibit the fungi but not the bacteria. Conversely, low pH and kanamycin inhibit the bacteria but not the fungi. Also, when the bacteria are present in adjacent compartments, the fungal cells mostly stay in a yeast morphology, meaning as spheroidal cells. In contrast, in the absence of the bacteria, the fungi transition into hyphae, i.e., long multicellular filaments. The inhibition of this morphological switch in fungal cells is shown to be induced by signaling molecules (specifically, the quorum sensing autoinducer-1 or AI-1) secreted by the bacteria. Thus, the MCC platform can also be used to detect cross-kingdom signaling between the compartmentalized microbes.

Role of c-di-GMP in improving stress resistance of alginate-chitosan microencapsulated Bacillus subtilis cells in simulated digestive fluids

OBJECTIVES

Probiotics (Bacillus subtilis 04178) were entrapped in alginate-chitosan microcapsules by high-voltage electrostatic process. The encapsulation pattern was established as entrapped low density cells with culture (ELDCwc). The performance of ELDCwc cells was investigated against stress environments of simulated digestive fluids.

RESULTS

After incubation in simulated gastric (pH 2.5) and intestinal fluids (4% bile salt) for 2 h, the survival rate of ELDCwc cells (18.19% and 27.54%) was significantly higher than that of the free cells (0.0000009% and 0.0005%). The reason why B. subtilis embedded in microcapsules can resist the stress environments was that the mass production of extracellular proteins and polysaccharides prompted B. subtilis to form cell aggregates. The production of extracellular proteins and polysaccharides were regulated by the concentration of c-di-GMP and the expression of ydaJKLMN operon, abbA, sinI, slrA, slrB, abrR and sinR.

CONCLUSIONS

c-di-GMP is important for the production of extracellular polymer substance to enhance probiotic viability in stress environments.

Improving 3-phenyllactic acid production of Lactobacillus plantarum AB-1 by enhancing its quorum-sensing capacity

3-Phenyllactic acid (PLA) is a novel and natural antimicrobial compound. However, the concentration of PLA produced by native microbes was rather low. To enhance the production of PLA of Lactobacillus plantarum AB-1, the microcapsules of L. plantarum AB-1 cells with a high quorum-sensing capacity was established and investigated. In addition, the relation between PLA production and quorum sensing was further investigated and confirmed by adding the exogenous 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD, AI-2 precursor). The results indicated that the PLA production of L. plantarum AB-1 in microencapsulated cells (MC cells) was higher than that of the free cells, and the lactate dehydrogenase activity, autoinducer-2 (AI-2) levels and the relative expression of the luxS gene were also significantly increased in MC cells (P < 0.05). In addition, the cell growth, AI-2 levels and PLA production of L. plantarum AB-1 were also significantly promoted after adding 24 μM exogenous DPD. The results suggest that the PLA production of L. plantarum was partly regulated by the AI-2/LuxS system, and microencapsulation can increase the local AI-2 level and enhance QS capacity, which are beneficial to PLA production. The results may provide a new insight and experimental basis for the industrial production of PLA.

Preparation of Coaxial Polylactic Acid-Propyl Gallate Electrospun Fibers and the Effect of Their Coating on Salmon Slices during Chilled Storage

Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria can grow well in cold-storage conditions and cause food spoilage. Quorum sensing (QS) is a biological pathway existing in a large number of microorganisms, through which bacteria regulate several of their physiological activities. A number of substances have been identified as quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs); they can interfere with the QS system and control bacterial spoilage characteristics and production of virulence factors. In our previous study, propyl gallate at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration levels showed a potent anti-QS activity. Thus, in this study, coaxial polylactic acid-propyl gallate electrospun fibers were fabricated and their physicochemical properties were characterized. Salmon slices were coated with these electrospun fibers and the effect of this coating on the salmon slices during chilled storage was evaluated. The results showed that the electrospun fibers had a small diameter and smooth surface with no beads or other defects. The thermal stability, tensile strength, and other properties of the fibers were suitable for refrigerated storage conditions. Without inhibiting the bacterial growth in the salmon slices, the QSI-containing electrospun fibers exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the production of total volatile base nitrogen and trimethylamine. Furthermore, the deterioration of muscle tissue in the salmon slices was significantly delayed during cold storage. Quantitative analysis indicated that the electrospun fibers had a significant inhibitory effect on the bacterial spoilage ability. The results suggested that the electrospun fibers loaded with QSIs might be an effective strategy to control food spoilage and enhance the quality of aquatic food products.

A crucial role for spatial distribution in bacterial quorum sensing

Quorum sensing (QS) is a process that enables bacteria to communicate using secreted signaling molecules, and then makes a population of bacteria to regulate gene expression collectively and control behavior on a community-wide scale. Theoretical studies of efficiency sensing have suggested that both mass-transfer performance in the local environment and the spatial distribution of cells are key factors affecting QS. Here, an experimental model based on hydrogel microcapsules with a three-dimensional structure was established to investigate the influence of the spatial distribution of cells on bacterial QS. Vibrio harveyi cells formed different spatial distributions in the microcapsules, i.e., they formed cell aggregates with different structures and sizes. The cell aggregates displayed stronger QS than did unaggregated cells even when equal numbers of cells were present. Large aggregates (LA) of cells, with a size of approximately 25 μm, restricted many more autoinducers (AIs) than did small aggregates (SA), with a size of approximately 10 μm, thus demonstrating that aggregate size significantly affects QS. These findings provide a powerful demonstration of the fact that the spatial distribution of cells plays a crucial role in bacterial QS.