Research in Microbiology 2011-11-01

Gamma-caprolactone stimulates growth of quorum-quenching Rhodococcus populations in a large-scale hydroponic system for culturing Solanum tuberosum.

Amélie Cirou, Aurélie Raffoux, Stéphanie Diallo, Xavier Latour, Yves Dessaux, Denis Faure

Index: Res. Microbiol. 162(9) , 945-50, (2011)

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Abstract

Bacteria degrading quorum sensing (QS) signals have been proposed as biocontrol agents able to quench QS-dependent expression of virulence symptoms caused by Pectobacterium on potato plants. We report here that gamma-caprolactone (GCL) treatment stimulated growth of the native QS-degrading bacterial community in an industrial plant hydroponic system for culturing Solanum tuberosum. Post-GCL treatment, QS-degrading bacteria were mainly identified as Rhodococcus isolates, while Agrobacterium isolates dominated under similar untreated conditions. Most of the assayed Rhodococcus isolates exhibited efficient biocontrol activity for protecting potato tubers. Analytical chemistry approach revealed the rapid degradation of GCL introduced in the plant cultures.Copyright © 2011 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.