Ambuic acid inhibits the biosynthesis of cyclic peptide quormones in gram-positive bacteria

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 Feb;53(2):580-6. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00995-08. Epub 2008 Nov 17.

Abstract

Quorum sensing is a cell-density-dependent regulatory system in gram-positive bacteria and is often regulated by cyclic peptides called "quormones," which function as extracellular communication signals. With an aim to discover an antipathogenic agent targeting quorum sensing in gram-positive bacteria, we screened 153 samples of fungal butanol extracts with the guidance of the inhibition of quorum-sensing-mediated gelatinase production in Enterococcus faecalis. Following the screenings, we found that ambuic acid, a known secondary fungal metabolite, inhibited the quorum-sensing-mediated gelatinase production without influencing the growth of E. faecalis. We further demonstrated that ambuic acid targeted the biosynthesis of a cyclic peptide quormone called gelatinase biosynthesis-activating pheromone. Furthermore, ambuic acid also inhibited the biosynthesis of the cyclic peptide quormones of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria innocua. These results suggest the potential use of ambuic acid as a lead compound of antipathogenic drugs that target the quorum-sensing-mediated virulence expression of gram-positive bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cyclohexanones / isolation & purification
  • Cyclohexanones / pharmacology*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects
  • Enterococcus faecalis / metabolism
  • Gelatinases / biosynthesis
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Hemolysin Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Hemolysin Proteins / genetics
  • Lactones
  • Listeria / drug effects
  • Listeria / metabolism
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Peptides, Cyclic / biosynthesis*
  • Peptides, Cyclic / genetics
  • Quorum Sensing / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / biosynthesis
  • Trans-Activators / genetics

Substances

  • Agr protein, Staphylococcus aureus
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cyclohexanones
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Lactones
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Trans-Activators
  • ambuic acid
  • gelatinase biosynthesis-activating pheromone
  • Gelatinases