Regulation of las and rhl quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

J Bacteriol. 1997 May;179(10):3127-32. doi: 10.1128/jb.179.10.3127-3132.1997.

Abstract

The production of several virulence factors by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is controlled according to cell density through two quorum-sensing systems, las and rhl. The las system is comprised of the transcriptional activator protein LasR and of LasI, which directs the synthesis of the autoinducer PAI-1. Similarly, the rhl system consists of the transcriptional activator protein RhlR and of RhlI, which directs synthesis of the autoinducer PAI-2 (formerly referred to as factor 2). To study the interrelation between the two P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing systems, we fused a lacZ reporter gene to lasR, rhlR, and rhlA and monitored expression of these three genes under various conditions. Our data indicate that lasR and rhlR are expressed in a growth-dependent manner, with activation of each gene occurring during the last half of log-phase growth. We also show that the las quorum-sensing system controls the rhl quorum-sensing system in two ways. First, we found that LasR and PAI-1 activated rhlR transcription. Second, we showed that PAI-1 blocked PAI-2 from binding to RhlR, thereby inhibiting the expression of rhlA. Our data thus indicate that the las system exerts two levels of control on RhlR, transcriptional and posttranslational.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 4-Butyrolactone / analogs & derivatives
  • 4-Butyrolactone / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / pharmacology
  • Genes, Bacterial* / drug effects
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / drug effects
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / genetics
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / growth & development
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Trans-Activators / pharmacology
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • LasR protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • N-butyrylhomoserine lactone
  • Trans-Activators
  • 4-Butyrolactone