• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.219-227
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• 2008

The free-living photoheterotrophic Gram-negative bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides possesses a quorum-sensing (QS) regulatory system mediated by CerR-CerI, a member of the LuxR-LuxI family. To identify the genes affected by the regulatory system, random lacZ fusions were generated in the genome of R. sphaeroides strain 2.4.1 using a promoter-trapping vector, pSG2. About 20,000 clones were screened and 23 showed a significantly different level of ${\beta}$-gal activities upon the addition of synthetic 7,8-cis-N-tetradecenoyl-homoserine lactone (RAI). Among these 23 clones, the clone showing the highest level of induction was selected for further study, where about a ten-fold increase of ${\beta}$-gal activity was exhibited in the presence of RAI and induction was shown to be required for cerR. In this clone, the lacZ reporter was inserted in a putative gene that exhibited a low homology with catD. A genetic analysis showed that the expression of the catD homolog was initiated from a promoter of another gene present upstream of the catD. This upstream gene showed a strong homology with luxR and hence was named qsrR (quorum-sensing regulation regulator). A comparison of the total protein expression profiles for the wild-type cells and qsrR-null mutant cells using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and a MALDI-TOF analysis allowed the identification of sets of genes modulated by the luxR homolog.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.182-192
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• 2013

Numerous root-associated bacteria (rhizobacteria) are known to elicit induced systemic resistance (ISR) in plants. Bacterial cell-density-dependent quorum sensing (QS) is thought to be important for ISR. Here, we investigated the role of QS in the ISR elicited by the rhizobacterium, Serratia marcescens strain 90-166, in tobacco. Since S. marcescens 90-166 produces at least three QS signals, QS-mediated ISR in strain 90-166 has been difficult to understand. Therefore, we investigated the ISR capacity of two transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants that contained either bacterial acylhomoserine lactone-producing (AHL) or -degrading (AiiA) genes in conjunction with S. marcescens 90-166 to induce resistance against bacterial and viral pathogens. Root application of S. marcescens 90-166 increased ISR to the bacterial pathogens, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci, in AHL plants and decreased ISR in AiiA plants. In contrast, ISR to Cucumber mosaic virus was reduced in AHL plants treated with S. marcescens 90-166 but enhanced in AiiA plants. Taken together, these data indicate that QS-dependent ISR is elicited by S. marcescens 90-166 in a pathogen-dependent manner. This study provides insight into QS-dependent ISR in tobacco elicited by S. marcescens 90-166.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권2_spc호
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• pp.337-345
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• 2024

Ruminants possess a specialized four-compartment forestomach, consisting of the reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum. The rumen, the primary fermentative chamber, harbours a dynamic ecosystem comprising bacteria, protozoa, fungi, archaea, and bacteriophages. These microorganisms engage in diverse ecological interactions within the rumen microbiome, primarily benefiting the host animal by deriving energy from plant material breakdown. These interactions encompass symbiosis, such as mutualism and commensalism, as well as parasitism, predation, and competition. These ecological interactions are dependent on many factors, including the production of diverse molecules, such as those involved in quorum sensing (QS). QS is a density-dependent signalling mechanism involving the release of autoinducer (AIs) compounds, when cell density increases AIs bind to receptors causing the altered expression of certain genes. These AIs are classified as mainly being N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL; commonly used by Gram-negative bacteria) or autoinducer-2 based systems (AI-2; used by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria); although other less common AI systems exist. Most of our understanding of QS at a gene-level comes from pure culture in vitro studies using bacterial pathogens, with much being unknown on a commensal bacterial and ecosystem level, especially in the context of the rumen microbiome. A small number of studies have explored QS in the rumen using 'omic' technologies, revealing a prevalence of AI-2 QS systems among rumen bacteria. Nevertheless, the implications of these signalling systems on gene regulation, rumen ecology, and ruminant characteristics are largely uncharted territory. Metatranscriptome data tracking the colonization of perennial ryegrass by rumen microbes suggest that these chemicals may influence transitions in bacterial diversity during colonization. The likelihood of undiscovered chemicals within the rumen microbial arsenal is high, with the identified chemicals representing only the tip of the iceberg. A comprehensive grasp of rumen microbial chemical signalling is crucial for addressing the challenges of food security and climate targets.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.242-248
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• 2011

Several soil bacteria were found to degrade N-Acylhomoserine lactones (NAHLs), thereby interfering with the bacterial quorum sensing system. In this research, fifteen strains of NAHL degrading rhizobacteria were isolated from potato rhizosphere. Based on phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analyses, the strains were identified as members of genera Bacillus, Streptomyces, Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas and Mesorhizobium. All tested isolates were capable to degrade both synthetic and natural NAHL produced by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) strain EMPCC. In quorum quenching experiments selected isolates, especially Mesorhizobium sp., were markedly reduced the pathogenicity of Pcc strain EMPCC in potato tubers and totally suppressed tissue maceration on potato tubers. These led to consider the latter as a useful biocontrol agent against Pectobacterium spp.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권11호
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• pp.1661-1677
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• 2006

Rhizobium and related genera are soil bacteria with great metabolic plasticity. These microorganisms survive in many different environments and are capable of eliciting the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules on legumes. The successful establishment of symbiosis is precisely regulated and requires a series of signal exchanges between the two partners. Quorum sensing (QS) is a prevalent form of population density-dependent gene regulation. Recently, increasing evidence indicates that rhizobial quorum sensing provides a pervasive regulatory network, which plays a more generalized role in the physiological activity of free-living rhizobia, as well as during symbiosis. Several rhizobia utilize multiple, overlapping quorum sensing systems to regulate diverse properties, including conjugal transfer and copy number control of plasmids, exopolysaccharide biosynthesis, rhizosphere-related functions, and cell growth. Genomic and proteomic analyses have begun to reveal the wide range of functions under quorum-sensing control.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2004

Many bacteria monitor their population density and control the expression of specialized gene sets in response to bacterial cell density based on a mechanism referred to as quorum sensing. In all cases, quorum sensing involves the production and detection of extracellular signaling molecules, auto inducers, as which Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria use most prevalently acylated homoserine lactones and processed oligo-peptides, respectively. Through quorum-sensing communication circuits, bacteria regulate a diverse array of physiological functions, including virulence, symbiosis, competence, conjugation, antibiotic production, motility, sporulation, and biofilm formation. Many pathogens have evolved quorum-sensing mechanisms to mount population-density-dependent attacks to over-whelm the defense responses of plants, animals, and humans. Since these AHL-mediated signaling mechanisms are widespread and highly conserved in many pathogenic bacteria, the disruption of quorum-sensing system might be an attractive target for novel anti-infective therapy. To control AHL-mediated pathogenicity, several promising strategies to disrupt bacterial quorum sensing have been reported, and several chemicals and enzymes have been also investigated for years. These studies indicate that anti-quorum sensing strategies could be developed as possible alternatives of antibiotics.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2002년도 생물공학의 동향 (X)
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• pp.411-414
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• 2002

Acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) are membrane-permeant signal molecules responsible for biofilm formation of gram-negative bacteria via a unique mechanism known as quorum sensing. A target specific bioassay employing the AHL-responsive Agrobacterium tumefaciens reporter strain has been developed to identify new AHL-like compounds from natural products, which could be developed into antifouling compounds. By varying the X-gal concentration, incubation time, solvent for sample preparation and the sample loading procedure, it was possible to detect low level AHLs up to $10^1nM$. The length of the acyl chain of the AHLs was found to affect the sensitivity of this bioassay.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2003년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.1
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• pp.224.1-224.1
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• 2003

Recent studies have revealed that bacterial biofilm production by the gram-negative bacteria is regulated by the quorum sensing signaling molecules, AHLs (N-acyl homoserine lactones). This suggests that inhibiting the AHLs could enhance the effects of antibacterial agents. Halogenated furanones purified from the red algae Delisea pulchra have been known to decrease quorum sensing responses by competitive inhibition of the AHLs. (omitted)

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.251-261
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• 1987

본(本) 실험(實驗)은 세균(細菌)에 의한 L-threonine의 효율적인 생성(生成)을 검토할 목적(目的)으로 Brevibacterium flavum ATCC 14067을 사용하여 L-threonine 생성능(生成能)이 우수한 균수(菌株)를 선발(選拔)하기 위해 변이원인 N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG)로 처리하여 돌연변이주(突然變異株)를 유도(誘導)한 후(後), 다시 methionine 영양요구주, lysine 영양요구주, isoleucine 영양요구주, lysine 영양요구주, isoleucine 영양요구주, methionine 및 isoleucine 영양요구주를 선발(選拔)하였다. 또한 선발(選拔)된 영양요구성 변이주들 중에서 L-threonine 생성능(生成能)이 원균(原菌)에 비(比)해 $3{\sim}4$배(倍)정도 우수한 B-13균주(菌株)$(met^-)$를 선발(選拔)하여 L-threonine 생성력(生成力), 배지(培地) 조성(組成) 및 배양(培養)에 따른 몇가지 요인(要因)들에 대하여 실험한 결과 다음과 같은 결과(結果)를 얻었다. 1. L-threonine생성량은 원균주가 1.4mg/ml에 비해 methionine 영양요구성 변이주인 B-13은 4.86mg/ml로서 약 3.5배(倍)의 높은 생성량을 나타내었다. 2. B-13에 의한 L-threonine 생성(生成)에 적당한 배지조성(培地組成)은 glucose 10%, ammonium sulfate 2%, potassium phosphate monobasic 0.2%, magnesium sulfate 0.05%, biotin $200{\mu}g/l$ thiamine $300{\mu}g/l$이였으며 nicotinic acid 0.05% 첨가시 더욱 증가 되었다. 3. B-13에 있어서 유기영양원에 대한 효과는 yeast extract와 Peptone이 양호하였으며 영양요구물질인 metionine은 $100{\mu}g/ml$가 적당하였으며 aspartic acid와 homoserine 첨가시 L-threonine 생성이 증가되었으며 lysine 첨가시에는 감소하는 경향이 나타났다. 4. B-13에 의한 L-threonine 생성에 가장 적절한 pH는 $7.0{\sim}8.0$이였으며 배양일수(培養日數)는 4일(日)이 적당하였다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2012

본 총설은 N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)에 기반한 quorum sensing(QS)을 비롯한 다양한 QS 시스템 및 생물막 형성과의 관련성에 대한 연구 동향을 정리하였다. 또한 anti-QS으로서 quorum quenching 전략을 이용한 생물막 억제 연구 동향에 대해 중점적으로 서술하였다. 세균의 독특한 신호전달 체계인 QS는 AHL과 같은 특정한 신호분자의 농도에 의해 세균의 집단적 행동 양식이 결정되는 세포밀도-의존성 유전자 발현 조절 메커니즘이다. QS 시스템은 미생물의 부착 및 생물막 형성에 있어 중요한 역할을 한다. AI-1이나 AI-2에 의한 QS는 생물막 형성 과정에 필요한 세포외 다당류, 단백질, 세포 외 DNA 등 주요한 구성 성분 등의 생산뿐만 아니라, 세균의 운동성 조절, 부착, 생물막 해체 과정까지도 조절하는 기능을 한다. 일부 세균의 경우 QS시스템 이외에도 second messenger로 알려진 c-di-GMP에 의한 signaling이 QS와 서로 연결되어 생물막 형성이나 병독성과 같은 타깃들을 함께 조절한다. 생물막은 병원성 세균에 의한 감염 시 여러 가지 병독성 가운데 가장 중요한 요소 중 하나이기 때문에, 생물막 형성을 조절하는 QS를 차단하기 위한 다양한 anti-quorum sensing 전략이 연구되고 있다. Anti-QS 접근 방식은 의학적 이용뿐만 아니라 물에 노출되어있는 MBR을 비롯한 많은 산업적 장치 등에서 생물막 형성으로 인한 손상 및 오염을 방지하기 위해 쓰일 수 있다. Anti-QS 전략 중 신호분자인 AHL을 무력화 시키는 quorum quenching 효소(AHL-lactonase, AHL-acylase, oxidoreductas)를 이용하여 생물막 형성을 억제할 수 있으며, 막을 이용한 수처리 공정에서 막에 발생하는 biofouling을 완화시킬 수 있는 새로운 anti-fouling 처리 기술로서 이러한 QQ 효소의적용 가능성을 보여 주고 있다.