ABSTRACT
The effects of four alkylhydroxybenzene (AHB) homologs of different hydrocarbon chain lengths on synthesis of the pigment violacein induced by C6-homoserine lactone (HSL) and biofilm formation by Chromobacterium violaceum NCTC 13274 and on Escherichia coli pAL103 bioluminescence in the presence of C6-oxo-HSL were studied. It was shown that the inhibitory effect of alkylhydroxybenzenes on the growth of C. violaceum increased in the C5-AHB --> C12-AHB series in the absence of this activity in C1-AHB. Sub-inhibitory AHB concentrations reduced violacein production and suppressed biofilm formation. These effects were presented as individual and group regression dependencies between the analyzed parameters. It was shown using the bioluminescent model that the regulatory effects of AHBs are not associated with their direct competition with HSL and that they develop as a result of changes in the sensitivity of bacterial cells to the respective quorum sensing inducer.
