Abstract

Recent advances in studies of bacterial gene expression and light microscopy show that cell-to-cell communication and community behavior are the rule rather than the exception. One type of cell-cell communication, quorum sensing in Gram-negative bacteria involves acyl-homoserine lactone signals. 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, and to respond by activating expression of specific genes. The LuxR and LuxI proteins of Vibrio fisheri are the founding members of the acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing signal receptor and signal generator families of proteins. Acyl-homoserine lactone signaling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one model for the relationship between quorum sensing, community behavior, and virulence. In the P. aeruginosa model, quorum sensing is required for normal biofilm maturation and virulence. There are multiple quorum-sensing circuits that control the expression of dozens of specific genes in P. aeruginosa.

• Keywords: Acyl-homoserine lactone; quorum sensing; biofilm; virulence; P. aeruginosa