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(NAS Colloquium) Virulence and Defense in Host--Pathogen Interactions Common Features Between Plants and Animals (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Acyl-homoserine Lactone Quorum Sensing in Gram-negative Bacteria: A Signaling Mechanism Involved in Associations with Higher Organisms
Pages 38-42

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From page 38...
... This type of quorum sensing represents a dedicated communication system that enables a given species to sense when it has reached a critical population density in a host, and to respond by activating expression of genes necessary for continued success in the host. Acyl-homoserine lactone signaling in the opportunistic animal and plant pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a model for the relationships among quorum sensing, pathogenesis, and community behavior.
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From page 39...
... aeruginosa is quorum sensing control of virulence factors? First, it is economical to produce extracellular factors only after a critical population has been achieved.
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From page 40...
... Yet quorum-sensing mutant strains show severe virulence defects in various mouse models, in invertebrate models, and in a plant model system. We will briefly describe the results of experiments in which colonization of the lungs in a neonatal mouse model by a LasR mutant was compared with colonization by the wild-type parental strain (23~.
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From page 41...
... The 30C12-HSL-responsive qsc genes involved in biofilm maturation remain unknown. Of interest, the LasI mutant biofilms were susceptible to treatment with the detergent SDS, whereas wild-type biofilms were resistant.
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From page 42...
... .. Parsek, M
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Key Terms

  • virulence factors
  • bacterial species
  • biofilm maturation
  • qsc genes
  • luxr homolog

  • recent review
  • population density
  • mutant biofilms
  • lasi mutant
  • normal biofilm

  • promoter regions
  • community behavior
  • lasr mutant
  • stationary phase
  • lactone quorum

  • specific functions
  • remain unknown
  • double mutant
  • specific receptors
  • dedicated communication

  • carrier protein
  • pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • mature biofilms
  • respond primarily
  • third luxr

  • random mutagenesis
  • common features
  • critical population
  • glass surface
  • water channels


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