Hydrolases;
Acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds, other than peptide bonds;
In linear amides
BRITE hierarchy

N-acyl-L-homoserine-lactone amidohydrolase

an N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone + H2O = L-homoserine lactone + a carboxylate [RN:R09646]

R09646
Reaction

N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone [CPD:C18049];
H2O [CPD:C00001]

Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are produced by a number of bacterial species and are used by them to regulate the expression of virulence genes in a process known as quorum-sensing. Each bacterial cell has a basal level of AHL and, once the population density reaches a critical level, it triggers AHL-signalling which, in turn, initiates the expression of particular virulence genes. Plants or animals capable of degrading AHLs would have a therapeutic advantage in avoiding bacterial infection as they could prevent AHL-signalling and the expression of virulence genes in quorum-sensing bacteria. This quorum-quenching enzyme removes the fatty-acid side chain from the homoserine lactone ring of AHL-dependent quorum-sensing signal molecules. It has broad specificity for AHLs with side changes ranging in length from 11 to 14 carbons. Substituents at the 3'-position, as found in N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone, do not affect this activity.

EC 3.5.1.97 created 2007

1  [PMID:12535081]

2  [PMID:16495538]