Quorum sensing, virulence and secondary metabolite production in plant soft-rotting bacteria.
Quorum sensing describes the ability of bacteria to sense their population density and respond by modulating gene expression. In the plant soft-rotting bacteria, such as Erwinia, an arsenal of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes is produced in a cell density-dependent manner, which causes maceration of plant tissue. However, quorum sensing is central not only to controlling the production of such destructive enzymes, but also to the control of a number of other virulence determinants and secondary metabolites. Erwinia synthesizes both N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) and autoinducer-2 types of quorum sensing signal, which both play a role in regulating gene expression in the phytopathogen. We review the models for AHL-based regulation of carbapenem antibiotic production in Erwinia. We also discuss the importance of quorum sensing in the production and secretion of virulence determinants by Erwinia, and its interplay with other regulatory systems.
Barnard
Anne M L
AM
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Bowden
Steven D
SD
Burr
Tom
T
Coulthurst
Sarah J
SJ
Monson
Rita E
RE
Salmond
George P C
GP
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000502:physiology; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D004885:Erwinia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000502:physiology; D007783:Lactones; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence
D015780:Carbapenems; D007783:Lactones; C091088:N-octanoylhomoserine lactone; C088386:homoserine lactone; D006714:Homoserine; D015107:4-Butyrolactone