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Quorum sensing modulates colony morphology through alkyl quinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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  • Background: Acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) and alkyl quinolone (AQ) based quorum-sensing (QS) systems are important for Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence and biofilm formation. The effect of QS on biofilm formation is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors. Here, we used a colony biofilm assay to study the effect of the central acyl-HSL QS regulator, LasR, on biofilm formation and structure in the representative clinical P. aeruginosa isolate ZK2870. Results: A lasR mutant exhibited wrinkled colony morphology at 37 C in contrast to the smooth colony morphology of the wild-type. Mutational analysis indicated that wrinkling of the lasR mutant is dependent on pel, encoding a biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide. Suppressor mutagenesis and complementation analysis implicated the AQ signaling pathway as the link between las QS and colony morphology. In this pathway, genes pqsA-D are involved in the synthesis of 4-hydroxyalkyl quinolines ("Series A congeners"), which are converted to 3,4-dihydroxyalkyl quinolines ("Series B congeners", including the well-characterized Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal, PQS) by the product of the LasR-dependent pqsH gene. Measurement of AQ in the wild-type, the lasR pqsA::Tn suppressor mutant as well as the defined lasR, pqsH, and lasR pqsH mutants showed a correlation between 4-hydroxyalkyl quinoline levels and the degree of colony wrinkling. Most importantly, the lasR pqsH double mutant displayed wrinkly morphology without producing any 3,4-dihydroxyalkyl quinolines. Constitutive expression of pqsA-D genes in a lasR pqsR:Tnmutant showed that colony wrinkling does not require the AQ receptor PqsR.
  • Keywords: Acyl-homoserine lactone, Quorum sensing, Colony, Alkylquinolone, Biofilm, Exopolysaccharide, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
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  • Gupta, R., & Schuster, M. (2012). Quorum sensing modulates colony morphology through alkyl quinolones in pseudomonas aeruginosa. BMC Microbiology, 12(1), 30-30. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-30
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  • 12
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  • 1
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