Cell-to-cell communication by chemical signals, termed quorum sensing (QS), is a common regulatory scheme in the microbial world. Pseudomonas aeruginosa¸ an opportunistic pathogen of burn wounds and cystic fibrosis lungs, uses QS to control the expression of hundreds of genes, particularly those necessary for population level benefits such as biofilm...
Cooperative behaviors in bacteria are increasingly appreciated for their relevance to microbial ecology and utility as model systems for social evolution. One example is the secretion of siderophores, a structurally diverse group of compounds that chelate extracellular iron. Siderophore production is considered cooperative because the benefits can be shared with...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that infects immunocompromised individuals such as those suffering from burns or the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. This organism utilizes a cell-cell communication mechanism known as quorum sensing (QS) to coordinate virulence gene expression and biofilm formation. It has three interconnected QS systems, namely...