N-hexadecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone

N-hexadecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone is one of a number of lipophilic, long acyl side-chain bearing AHLs produced by the LuxI AHL synthase homolog SinI involved in quorum-sensing signaling in S. meliloti, a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It is the most abundant AHL produced by the proteobacterium R. capsulatus and activates genetic exchange between R. capsulatus cells. N-hexadecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone tends to localize in relatively lipophilic cellular environments of bacteria and cannot diffuse freely through the cell membrane. The long-chain N-acylhomoserine lactones may be exported from cells by efflux pumps or may be transported between communicating cells by extracellular outer membrane vesicles.