title: Control of the AcrAB multidrug efflux pump by quorum-sensing regulator SdiA.
abstract: SdiA is an Escherichia coli protein that regulates cell division in a cell density-dependent, or quorum-sensing, manner. We report that SdiA also controls multidrug resistance by positively regulating the multidrug resistance pump AcrAB. Overproduction of SdiA confers multidrug resistance and increased levels of AcrAB. Conversely, sdiA null mutants are hypersensitive to drugs and have decreased levels of AcrB protein. Our findings provide a link between quorum sensing and multidrug efflux. Combined with previously published reports, our data support a model in which a role of drug efflux pumps is to mediate cell-cell communication in response to cell density. Xenobiotics expelled by pumps may resemble the communication molecules that they normally efflux.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030-3411, USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahmati
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: E Lynn
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Zechiedrich
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins; D009154:Mutation; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins; D015363:Quinolones; D015534:Trans-Activators; C083497:AcrA protein, E coli; C083496:AcrB protein, E coli; C097686:SdiA protein, bacteria; C490806:sdiA protein, E coli