Signal-mediated cross-talk regulates stress adaptation in Vibrio species.
Quorum sensing systems serve as a means of 'census taking' of conspecific and non-conspecific bacteria in the near vicinity. The acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing system has been proposed to be primarily an intra-specific communication system, while the AI-2 autoinducer signalling system is proposed to be an interspecific communication system. Here it is shown that AI-2-like signalling in two marine Vibrio species, Vibrio vulnificus and 'Vibrio angustum' S14, induces the core response phenotypes of starvation adaptation and stress resistance, and that a signal antagonist can competitively inhibit these phenotypes. Furthermore, the signals produced by a range of Vibrio species have the ability to induce these phenotypes in V. vulnificus and 'V. angustum' S14, indicating that, at least in Vibrio species, AI-2-like signalling systems function as interspecies communication systems capable of 'cross-talk' and of regulating environmentally relevant phenotypes.
McDougald
Diane
D
Centre for Marine Biofouling and Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.|School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Srinivasan
Sujatha
S
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Rice
Scott A
SA
Centre for Marine Biofouling and Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.|School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Kjelleberg
Staffan
S
Centre for Marine Biofouling and Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.|School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013045:Species Specificity; D014733:Vibrio / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*