title: Type II quorum sensing regulates virulence in Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora.
abstract: Quorum sensing is a process by which bacteria communicate using secreted chemical signaling molecules called autoinducers. In this study, the opportunistic plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora was observed to secrete type II signaling molecules. A homolog of luxS, the gene required for AI-2 synthesis in Vibrio harveyi, was isolated from the genome of the pathogen. To determine the potential role of AI-2 in virulence, an isogenic luxS- (ECC) mutant was constructed and tested for its ability to cause tissue maceration. The findings reported here demonstrate that the LuxS-dependent signaling affects the progression of disease symptoms during the early stages of infection by modulating the expression of pectinolytic enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Tartu University, Estonian Biocenter, Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laasik
authors.forename: Liis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mäe
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D007783:Lactones; D016973:Pectobacterium carotovorum / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004798:Enzymes; D007783:Lactones; C091088:N-octanoylhomoserine lactone; D006714:Homoserine; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases; C117753:LuxS protein, Bacteria