Longer persistence of quorum quenching bacteria over quorum sensing bacteria in aerobic granules

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2020-07, Vol.179, p.115904-115904, Article 115904
• Main Authors: Li, Yu-Sheng, Tian, Tian, Li, Bing-Bing, Yu, Han-Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acyl-homoserine-lactones (AHL); Aerobic granules; Long-term operation; Quorum quenching (QQ); Quorum sensing (QS); Startup
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115904

Involvements of quorum sensing (QS) in the formation of aerobic granules for wastewater treatment have been well recognized. In previous studies the evolution of the QS-related activities and communities during bioreactor start-up period has been extensively studied, while the variation of QS in long-term reactor operation remains unrevealed. Furthermore, information about the roles of quorum quenching (QQ) in bioreactors is very limited. In this work, both QS and QQ during the start-up and successive long-term operation period of an aerobic granule bioreactor were explored. The QS activity and communities increased in the start-up but gradually decreased in the long-term operation, while the QQ activity and communities remained stable. These results indicate the longer persistence of QQ than QS in the granules and the minor contribution of QS in the long-term operation. This work provides a new insight into the roles of QQ and QS in wastewater treatment bioreactors. [Display omitted] •QS level increased in reactor startup but gradually reduced in stable operation.•QQ in the aerobic granules remained stable.•QQ had longer persistent activities and communities than QS in aerobic granules.