细菌群体感应淬灭酶的研究进展

细菌的群体感应系统（Quorum sensing，QS）参与许多生物学功能的调控，其中包括动植物病原细菌致病因子的生成以及人类某些病原细菌生物膜的形成。酰基高丝氨酸内酯（N—acylhomoserine laetone，AHL）是调控群体感应系统的关键信号分子。近年的研究表明，不同生物体包括细菌和真核生物中都存在类别不同的能够降解AHL的群体感应淬灭酶（Quorum—quenching enzyme）。在AHL依赖型致病菌和转基因植物中表达AHL降解酶能有效地抑制QS信号分子的积累，从而阻断了病原细菌的发病机制，提高了植物的抗病性。这些新颖的群体感应淬灭酶的发现，不仅为防治细菌侵染提供了可行的途径，也对研究它们在宿主中的功能和对生态系统的潜在影响提出挑战。

Advance on Bacterial Quorum-quenching Enzymes

A range of bacterial species use N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules as quorum senging signal to regulate different biological functions, including production of virulence factors and bioflim formation of human pathogens.Several groups of AHL-degradation enzymes have recently been identified in a range of living organisms, including bacteria and eukaryotes.Expression of these enzymes in AHL-dependent pathogens and transgenic plants efficiently quenching the acceleration of QS signal and blocks pathogenic infection.Discovery of these novel quorum quenching enzymes has not only provided a promising means to control bacterial infections, but also presents new challenges to investigate their roles in host organisms and their potential impact on ecosystems.