Inhibition of Biogenic Amines in Shewanella baltica by Anthocyanins Involving a Quorum Sensing System

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell density-dependent signaling system responsible for various physiological activities in bacteria. We initially investigated the relation between a QS system and biogenic amine (BA) production in Shewanella baltica, the specific spoilage organism of refrigerated large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaene crocea). In addition, the inhibition effects of anthocyanins from blueberry and purple sweet potato against QS signals and putrescine production were explored. Two kinds of diketopiperazines, cyclo-(l-Pro-l-Leu) and cyclo-(l-Pro-l-Pro), and two kinds of BAs, putrescine and cadaverine, were detected in the culture extract of S. baltica cultivated in sterile large yellow croaker juice, wherein putrescine presented significantly positive correlations with cyclo-(l-Pro-l-Leu) and cyclo-(l-Pro-l-Pro). In addition, anthocyanins at subminimum inhibitory concentration inhibited the production of diketopiperazines and putrescine in S. baltica 23, a strain with strong putrescine production. Furthermore, a transcriptional analysis showed that anthocyanins suppressed the expression of the odc gene in S. baltica, the gene responsible for the production of putrescine from decarboxylation of ornithine. These results established a correlation of the main BA putrescine with the QS system in S. baltica and revealed that anthocyanins could be developed as new QS inhibitors and seafood preservative candidates. HIGHLIGHTS