Regulation of aromatics biodegradation by rhl quorum sensing system through induction of catechol meta-cleavage pathway

The mechanism for quorum sensing (QS) regulation on aromatics degradation was investigated. Deletion of rhl QS system resulted in a significant decrease in aromatics biodegradation as well as the activity of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O, key enzyme for catechol meta-cleavage pathway) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa CGMCC1.860. Interestingly, this repression could be relieved by N-butyryl homoserine lactone (the signaling molecule of rhl QS system) addition. In accordance, the transcription level of nahH (the gene encoding C23O) and nahR (transcriptional activator) also responded to rhl perturbation in a similar way. The results indicated that rhl QS system positively controlled the catechol meta-cleavage pathway, and hence improved aromatics biodegradation. It suggested manipulation of QS system could be a promising strategy to tune the catechol cleavage pathway and to control aromatics biodegradation.