Study on quorum sensing in gut microbial community for health promotion and disease prevention

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04480
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nakayama Jiro 九州大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (40217930)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大谷 郁 金沢大学, 医学系, 研究員 (30377410)
• Research Collaborator: TAKAHASHI Motomichi ミヤリサン製薬, 東京研究部 ; OKA Kentaro ミヤリサン製薬, 東京研究部
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: クオラムセンシング / クオラムクエンチング / Clostridiales / ウェルシュ菌 / アンタゴニスト / 自己誘導ペプチド / クロストリジウム / 酪酸菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, we aimed to clarify and control the quorum sensing (QS), a cell density-dependent regulatory system, of order Clostridiales widespread in human gastro-intestinal tract. First of all, we found that QS-controlled toxin production is quenched by short chain fatty acids as fermentation products in Clostridium perfringens. Further, we designed an antagonist of autoinducing peptide (AIPcp) of C. perfringens based on the quantative structure-activity relationship data. The designed peptide, Z-AIPCp-F4A/T5S, effectively inhibited the QS of C. perfringens at nanomolar order. Furthermore, we identified an autoinducing peptide, AIPcb, of a probiotic Clostridium butyricum and found a cross-inhibition of C. perfringens QS by AIPcb. Taken together, further studies are warranted to control Clostridiales community in GI-tract microbiota toward human health.

Free Research Field

微生物学・生物有機化学