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抗生素由于良好的抑菌杀菌性能被广泛应用于医疗卫生、禽畜及水产养殖等领域[1]。然而,由于抗生素滥用导致大量耐药菌产生,引发了一系列难治性感染。因此,探索和研发抗生素的替代品变得迫在眉睫[2]。群体感应抑制剂(quorum sensing inhibitor,QSIs)是作用于细菌群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)系统的一类新型抗菌药物,它可以通过抑制信号分子合成、促进信号分子降解、阻断信号分子与受体结合以及抑制信号分子级联转导水平等方式抑制细菌的QS系统[3]。相比于传统抗生素,QSIs不会直接对细菌产生毒性作用,不易使细菌产生耐药性[4]。因此,QSIs被认为是未来最理想的抗生素替代品。根据化学结构的不同,QSIs可分为二酮呱嗪类、酰基高丝氨酸内酯类(N-Acyl homoserine lactone,AHL)、寡肽类以及激素类[5]等。其中,高丝氨酸内酯类QSIs(本文简称为AHL-QSIs)最为引人关注,其作用机制是与AHL信号分子竞争结合受体蛋白来干扰QS系统[6]。鉴于AHL-QSIs在医疗及养殖领域中广泛的应用前景,有必要探究其潜在的生态风险。
目前,已有研究者探索了AHL-QSIs对细菌的毒性作用,发现其可以对细菌产生低浓度刺激、高浓度抑制的毒物兴奋效应(即Hormesis效应)。例如,Wang等[7]等在测定6种AHL-QSIs(3-苯并呋喃酮、D-脯氨醇、2-甲基四氢呋喃-3-酮、(R)-羟基四氢吡咯、γ-戊内酯、1-(1-吡咯烷)环己烯)对大肠杆菌的生长毒性效应时发现,这些AHL-QSIs在第14 h会对大肠杆菌的生长产生Hormesis效应。Zhang[8]等的研究表明,呋喃酮乙酸酯(一种AHL-QSIs)对枯草芽孢杆菌的生长在第3 h也有明显的Hormesis效应。虽然AHL-QSIs对细菌的Hormesis效应已被人们发现,但关于这种效应的具体机制还有待进一步探索。已有研究表明,细菌Hormesis效应的发生与细菌自身的QS系统密切相关。例如Sun[9]等发现磺胺类抗生素引起大肠杆菌生长的Hormesis效应可能是由磺胺类抗生素作用于QS系统中的关键蛋白并刺激其表达所导致。Deng[10]等在研究磺胺类抗生素对明亮发光杆菌的毒性效应时也发现,Hormesis效应源于磺胺类抗生素作用于明亮发光杆菌的QS系统。鉴于以上研究进展,探索AHL-QSIs对细菌的QS系统的作用,可能是了解AHL-QSIs诱导Hormesis效应并阐明其作用机制的一个有效手段。
费氏弧菌(Aliivibrio fischeri,A. fischeri)是首次发现具有QS现象的革兰氏阴性菌[11],其QS系统较为清晰,如图1所示,主要调控A. fischeri的生物荧光[12-14]。在细菌缺乏C8信号分子和AI-2信号分子时,磷酸化的AinR蛋白和磷酸化的LuxP/Q蛋白会将磷酸分子传递给LuxU蛋白,再传递给LuxO蛋白,而磷酸化的LuxO蛋白是qrr1基因的转录激活剂,可以激活qrr1基因编码产生Qrr1蛋白;Qrr1蛋白在蛋白Hfq的协同作用下会抑制litR基因向LitR蛋白的编码,从而阻断后续的信号通路。当信号分子C8和AI-2含量增加时,磷酸转移路径会被抑制,导致LitR蛋白稳定表达,继而转录激活luxR基因,编码LuxR蛋白;LuxR蛋白能够和信号分子C6结合形成复合物,激活luxICDABEG基因;luxA和luxB两种基因能够分别编码荧光素酶的α亚基和β亚基[15],而荧光素酶能够催化A. fischeri体内的生物发光反应,进而产生生物荧光。
本课题组前期实验发现,AHL-QSIs对A. fischeri的发光在延滞期具有Hormesis效应,且这种Hormesis效应会随生长周期的变化而变化[9]。因此本文以A. fischeri为受试模式生物,3种AHL-QSIs(2(5H)-呋喃酮(2(5H)-Furanone,2,5-D-3(2H)-F)、D-脯氨醇(D-Prolinol,D-P)以及N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮(N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone,NV2P))为受试化合物,测定了它们对A. fischeri生物荧光、生长量、相关蛋白表达量以及模拟发光反应的影响。初步探究了AHL-QSIs对A. fischeri生物荧光随时间变化的Hormesis效应及其机制,以期为AHL-QSIs的后续应用以及使用及环境生态风险评价提供研究基础。
群体感应抑制剂对费氏弧菌生物荧光随时间变化Hormesis效应的机制探究
Mechanistic explanation for time-dependent hormetic effects of quorum sensing inhibitors on bioluminescence of Aliivibrio fischeri
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摘要: 群体感应抑制剂(quorum sensing inhibitor,QSIs)是作用于细菌群体感应系统的一类新型抗菌药物。目前关于QSIs引起Hormesis效应的机制探究较少。本文以费氏弧菌(Aliivibrio fischeri,A. fischeri)为模式生物,测定了3种高丝氨酸内酯(N-Acyl homoserine lactone,AHL)类QSIs(AHL-QSIs)对A. fischeri生物荧光的影响,发现AHL-QSIs对A. fischeri生物荧光产生了随时间变化的Hormesis效应。通过测定AHL-QSIs对A. fischeri生长量、相关蛋白表达量及模拟发光反应的影响,推测随时间变化Hormesis的机制如下:AHL-QSIs在低浓度时可以通过增强荧光素酶的活性进而促进个体发光反应,最终刺激A. fischeri的生物荧光;而当AHL-QSIs处于高浓度时,更多的AHL-QSIs不仅会通过改变细胞膜功能抑制细菌的生长,还可以与C6竞争结合LuxR影响荧光素酶的含量,最终抑制A. fischeri的生物荧光;AHL-QSIs对A. fischeri生物荧光的刺激作用和抑制作用会随细菌生长阶段状态的不同而发生变化,最终导致了随时间变化的Hormesis效应。研究结果可为今后AHL-QSIs的生态风险及其进一步的广泛应用提供一定的数据基础和理论依据。Abstract: Quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs), as new kind of antibacterial agents, inhibit the bacteria via acting on bacterial quorum sensing system. However, few studies explored the mechanism of hormetic phenomena induced by QSIs. In this study, Aliivibrio fischeri (A. fischeri) was used as the test organism to test the toxicities of three N-Acyl homoserine lactone-QSIs (AHL-QSIs) to the bioluminescence of A. fischeri. The results revealed that the test three AHL-QSIs induced time-dependent hormetic effects on the bioluminescence of A. fischeri. The underlying mechanism for the time-dependent hormesis can be explained by investigating the influence of AHL-QSIs on the A. fischeri growth, the relative expression of protein mRNA, and the simulated bioluminescent reaction. The stimulatory effect of AHL-QSIs on the bioluminescence might result from the promotion on the activity of luciferase. The inhibitory effect of AHL-QSIs on the bioluminescence was derived from both the inhibition on the bacteria growth and the competition with C6 to LuxR. The stimulatory and inhibitory effects of AHL-QSIs on A. fischeri bioluminescence varied with the different growth stages of bacteria, ultimately resulting in the time-dependent hormetic phenomena. This study will provide data and theoretical basis for the future application of AHL-QSIs and further exploration of their ecological risk.
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Key words:
- Quorum sensing inhibitors /
- Hormesis /
- Quorum sensing /
- A. fischeri /
- Time-dependent
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表 1 实验用化合物相关信息表
Table 1. Detailed information of test chemicals
类别
Category英文名称
English name简称
Abbreviation分子结构式
Molecular structureCAS lg (EC50)
(mol·L−1, 24 h)呋喃酮 2,5-Dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone 2,5-D-3(2H) F 497-23-4 −1.40 吡咯 D-Prolinol D-P 68832−13-3 −1.78 吡咯酮 N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone NV2P 88-12-0 −1.58 表 2 所测蛋白mRNA的引物序列
Table 2. Primer sequences used to determine the relative expression of mRNAs
目标基因 引物 序列(5’— 3’) 16S rRNA Forward GAGCGCAACCCTTATCCTT Reverse ATCCGGACTACGACGCACTTT luxO Forward AATTGATGCTGCAGTAGAA Reverse ATGCATTTGAGAGCTACTACC litR Forward CTACTCGTGATGAAGTATGGC Reverse AGATGAACTATTACGGTTAGC luxR Forward ACCTGATGATTTCGCTTCT Reverse GGCAATATTATGATGACGCTA -
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