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Abstract
The emerging threat of drug resistant bacteria has prompted the investigation into bacterial signaling pathways responsible for pathogenesis. One such mechanism by which bacteria regulate their physiology during infection of a host is through a process known as quorum sensing (QS). Bacteria use QS to regulate community-wide gene expression in response to changes in population density. In order to sense these changes in population density, bacteria produce, secrete and detect small molecules called autoinducers. The most common signals detected by Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are acylated homoserine lactones and autoinducing peptides (AIPs), respectively. However, increasing evidence has supported a role for the small molecule nitric oxide (NO) in influencing QS-mediated group behaviors like bioluminescence, biofilm production, and virulence. In this review, we discuss three bacteria that have an established role for NO in influencing bacterial physiology through QS circuits. In two Vibrio species, NO has been shown to affect QS pathways upon coordination of hemoprotein sensors. Further, NO has been demonstrated to serve a protective role against staphylococcal pneumonia through S-nitrosylation of a QS regulator of virulence.
Highlights
Quorum sensing (QS) refers to the process by which bacteria regulate gene expression in response to small molecules called autoinducers
These findings suggest that nitric oxide (NO) inhibits QS-mediated virulence in S. aureus through the S-nitrosylation of AgrA cysteine residues, C199
In Vibrios, NO ligation to hemoproteins has been found to influence the autophosphorylation of partner histidine kinases proteins that are integrated in QS pathways
Summary
The emerging threat of drug resistant bacteria has prompted the investigation into bacterial signaling pathways responsible for pathogenesis. One such mechanism by which bacteria regulate their physiology during infection of a host is through a process known as quorum sensing (QS). Bacteria use QS to regulate community-wide gene expression in response to changes in population density. In order to sense these changes in population density, bacteria produce, secrete and detect small molecules called autoinducers. Increasing evidence has supported a role for the small molecule nitric oxide (NO) in influencing QS-mediated group behaviors like bioluminescence, biofilm production, and virulence. We discuss three bacteria that have an established role for NO in influencing bacterial physiology through QS circuits.
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