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Interference with AI-2-mediated bacterial cell–cell communication

Nature volume 437, pages 750–753 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Bacteria communicate by means of chemical signal molecules called autoinducers. This process, called quorum sensing, allows bacteria to count the members in the community and to alter gene expression synchronously across the population. Quorum-sensing-controlled processes are often crucial for successful bacterial–host relationships—both symbiotic and pathogenic. Most quorum-sensing autoinducers promote intraspecies communication, but one autoinducer, called AI-2, is produced and detected by a wide variety of bacteria and is proposed to allow interspecies communication1,2. Here we show that some species of bacteria can manipulate AI-2 signalling and interfere with other species' ability to assess and respond correctly to changes in cell population density. AI-2 signalling, and the interference with it, could have important ramifications for eukaryotes in the maintenance of normal microflora and in protection from pathogenic bacteria.

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Figure 1: AI-2 signalling systems.
Figure 2: E. coli and V. harveyi communicate using AI-2.
Figure 3: The E. coli Lsr system interferes with V. harveyi quorum sensing.
Figure 4: V. harveyi TTS and V. cholerae H/A protease production are regulated by E. coli Lsr-mediated AI-2 transport.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by HHMI and NIH and NSF grants (B.L.B.) and a Praxis XXI postdoctoral fellowship, Portugal (K.B.X.). We thank the members of the Bassler laboratory, as well as N. Wingreen and F. Hughson for insightful discussions. We are grateful to B. Hammer for V. cholerae strains and to J. Henke for V. harveyi TTS mutants.

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  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Princeton University, New Jersey, 08544-1014, Princeton, USA

    Karina B. Xavier & Bonnie L. Bassler

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  1. Karina B. Xavier
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  2. Bonnie L. Bassler
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Correspondence to Bonnie L. Bassler.

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Supplementary Notes

Supplementary Figures S1 details Escherichia coli extracellular AI–2 Levels. Supplementary Figure S2 details the transcription of lsr genes in Escherichia coli. This file also contains additional references. (DOC 42 kb)

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Xavier, K., Bassler, B. Interference with AI-2-mediated bacterial cell–cell communication. Nature 437, 750–753 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03960

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