N-acyl homoserine lactone production by bacteria within the sponge Suberites domuncula (Olivi, 1792) (Porifera, Demospongiae)

• Published in: Marine biology Vol. 159; no. 8; pp. 1685 - 1692
• Main Authors: Gardères, Johan, Taupin, Laure, Saïdin, Jasnizat Bin, Dufour, Alain, Le Pennec, Gaël
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-08-2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquatic life; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Demospongiae; E coli; Escherichia coli; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormones; Host-bacteria relationships; Invertebrates; Lactones; Life Sciences; Marine; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Marine biology; Microbiology; Microbiology and Parasitology; Oceanography; Original Paper; Porifera; Sea water ecosystems; Suberites; Suberites domuncula; Synecology; Zoology; France; Basic Agar Medium; Sponge; Sponge Cell; Sponge Tissue; Sponge Extract; Invertebrata; Porifera; Bacteria
• ISSN: 0025-3162; 1432-1793
• DOI: 10.1007/s00227-012-1956-z

Many bacteria live in close association with sponges. Within these consortia, molecules of communication such as quorum-sensing and hormone-like molecules may occur in order to regulate the partnership. Of particular interest, bacterial
N
-acyl-
l
-homoserine lactones (AHLs) were screened in supernatants from
Suberites domuncula
-associated bacteria using an
E. coli
bioluminescent reporter system. These sponge-associated bacteria were beforehand isolated on several media supplemented or not with a sponge extract to attempt to isolate sponge-specific bacteria. Out of 81 AHL-producing bacteria, three strains requiring sponge extract to grow were selected for AHL characterization. The in vitro produced AHLs, that is, in bacterial culture supernatants, were identified as
N
-(3-butanoyl)-
l
-homoserine lactone and
N
-(3-oxododecanoyl)-
l
-homoserine lactone and quantified using LC–ESI–MS/MS. The in vivo production of AHLs by sponge-associated bacteria has also been demonstrated in a healthy host for the first time:
N
-(3-oxododecanoyl)-
l
-homoserine lactone,
N
-(3-hexanoyl)-
l
-homoserine lactone, and
N
-(3-heptanoyl)-
l
-homoserine lactone. This AHL production in sponges may suggest a potential role of these molecules between sponge-associated bacteria and/or between sponge-associated bacteria and the sponge.