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A new class of homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signals

Author

Listed:
  • Amy L. Schaefer

    (University of Washington)

  • E. P. Greenberg

    (University of Washington)

  • Colin M. Oliver

    (Molecular Pharmacology and Cancer Therapeutics Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA)

  • Yasuhiro Oda

    (University of Washington)

  • Jean J. Huang

    (University of Washington)

  • Gili Bittan-Banin

    (University of Washington)

  • Caroline M. Peres

    (Danisco Genencor, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA)

  • Silke Schmidt

    (Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Frankfurt)

  • Katarina Juhaszova

    (University of Washington)

  • Janice R. Sufrin

    (Molecular Pharmacology and Cancer Therapeutics Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA)

  • Caroline S. Harwood

    (University of Washington)

Abstract

Quorum sensing is a term used to describe cell-to-cell communication that allows cell-density-dependent gene expression. Many bacteria use acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) synthases to generate fatty acyl-HSL quorum-sensing signals, which function with signal receptors to control expression of specific genes. The fatty acyl group is derived from fatty acid biosynthesis and provides signal specificity, but the variety of signals is limited. Here we show that the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris uses an acyl-HSL synthase to produce p-coumaroyl-HSL by using environmental p-coumaric acid rather than fatty acids from cellular pools. The bacterium has a signal receptor with homology to fatty acyl-HSL receptors that responds to p-coumaroyl-HSL to regulate global gene expression. We also found that p-coumaroyl-HSL is made by other bacteria including Bradyrhizobium sp. and Silicibacter pomeroyi. This discovery extends the range of possibilities for acyl-HSL quorum sensing and raises fundamental questions about quorum sensing within the context of environmental signalling.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy L. Schaefer & E. P. Greenberg & Colin M. Oliver & Yasuhiro Oda & Jean J. Huang & Gili Bittan-Banin & Caroline M. Peres & Silke Schmidt & Katarina Juhaszova & Janice R. Sufrin & Caroline S. Harwood, 2008. "A new class of homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signals," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7204), pages 595-599, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:454:y:2008:i:7204:d:10.1038_nature07088
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07088
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    Cited by:

    1. Alice Boo & Tyler Toth & Qiguo Yu & Alexander Pfotenhauer & Brandon D. Fields & Scott C. Lenaghan & C. Neal Stewart & Christopher A. Voigt, 2024. "Synthetic microbe-to-plant communication channels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.

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