Bacteria associated with marine macroorganisms as potential source of quorum-sensing antagonists.

Samples were collected from different undisturbed areas along the coast of Gujarat like Okha, Diu, Veraval, and Somnath. A total of 68 marine isolates were obtained out of which 53 were associated with various marine macroorganisms like sponges, gastropods, and algae, whereas 15 were free living. Quorum-quenching ability of all the isolates was tested against Chromobacterium violaceum MK by co-culture technique as a way to simultaneously detect signal-degrading as well as nondegrading quorum-sensing inhibitors. Nineteen macroorganism-associated bacteria and eight free-living bacteria were found to possess quorum-sensing inhibitory activity against C. violaceum MK without affecting its growth. Isolate OA22 from grape alga and OA10 from purple sponge (Haliclona sp.) were found to possess the highest C6-HSL degradation activity and extracellular non-N-acyl-homoserine lactone degrading QSI activity, respectively. OA22 was also found to degrade 3-oxo-C12 homoserine lactone. Acid recovery of both the C6- and C12-HSL after degradation by OA22 indicated the presence of lactonase enzyme in the isolate. Cell-free supernatant of OA10 was extracted with ethyl acetate to obtain the quorum-quenching compound. Pigment inhibition in C. violaceum MK treated with OA10 extract was demonstrated in various ways and was indicative of QSI activity of the extract without degradation of the quorum-sensing signaling molecule. The isolates OA22 and OA10 were identified as Desemzia incerta and Bacillus sp., respectively, by 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis.