title: Use of microwells to investigate the effect of quorum sensing on growth and antigen production in Bacillus anthracis Sterne 34F2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the role of quorum sensing in Bacillus anthracis growth and toxin production.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A microwell plate culture method was developed to simulate the normal UK-licensed anthrax vaccine production run. Once established, sterile supernatant additions from a previous B. anthracis culture were made, and reductions in lag phase and early stimulation of the anthrax toxin component protective antigen (PA) were monitored using ELISA. The addition of the quorum-sensing inhibitor, fur-1, prolonged the lag phase and impeded PA production. Spin filters of various sizes were used to identify the molecular weight fraction of the sterile supernatant responsible for the autoinducer effect. A weight fraction between 5 and 10 kDa was responsible for the autoinducer effect; however, further identification using mass spectroscopy proved inconclusive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quorum sensing mediated by the autoinducer two molecule plays a significant role in both B. anthracis growth and toxin production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While genomic analysis has eluded to the importance of LuxS and quorum sensing in anthrax, this is the first analysis using a production strain of B. anthracis and a quorum-sensing inhibitor to monitor the effect on growth and toxin production. This gives insights into anthrax pathogenicity and vaccine manufacture.
authors: The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK. ucbetkm@ucl.ac.uk
authors: T K
authors: TK
authors: Mukhopadhyay
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Allison
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Charlton
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Ward
authors: G J
authors: GJ
authors: Lye
mesh_terms: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005285:Fermentation; D005663:Furans / Q000494:pharmacology; D053038:Quorum Sensing
chemical_list: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005663:Furans; C030325:anthrax toxin