Acyl homoserine-lactone quorum-sensing signal generation

Matthew R. Parsek, Dale L. Val, Brian L. Hanzelka, John E. Cronan, E. P. Greenberg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Acyl homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs) are important intercellular signaling molecules used by many bacteria to monitor their population density in quorum-sensing control of gene expression. These signals are synthesized by members of the LuxI family of proteins. To understand the mechanism of acyl-HSL synthesis we have purified the Pseudomonas aeruginosa RhII protein and analyzed the kinetics of acyl-HSL synthesis by this enzyme. Purified RhlI catalyzes the synthesis of acyl-HSLs from acyl-acyl carrier proteins and S- adenosylmethionine. An analysis of the patterns of product inhibition indicated that RhlI catalyzes signal synthesis by a sequential, ordered reaction mechanism in which S-adenosylmethionine binds to RhlI as the initial step in the enzymatic mechanism. Because pathogenic bacteria such as P. aeruginosa use acyl-HSL signals to regulate virulence genes, an understanding of the mechanism of signal synthesis and identification of inhibitors of signal synthesis has implications for development of quorum sensing-targeted antivirulence molecules.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4360-4365
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume96
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 13 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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