Abstract
Autoinducer 2 (AI-2) is a ubiquitous metabolite but, instead of acting as a “universal signal,” relatively few phenotypes have been associated with it, and many scientists believe AI-2 is often a metabolic byproduct rather than a signal. Here, the aim is to present evidence that AI-2 influences both biofilm formation and motility (swarming and chemotaxis), using Escherichia coli as the model system, to establish AI-2 as a true signal with an important physiological role in this bacterium. In addition, AI-2 signaling is compared to the other primary signal of E. coli, indole, and it is shown that they have opposite effects on biofilm formation and virulence.
Highlights
Quorum sensing (QS) is the process by which bacteria communicate via secreted signals; once the concentration of the autoinducers reaches a threshold, the signal is detected, and gene expression is altered [1]
It is imperative to have a better understanding of QS in order to be in a position to better control bacteria to prevent diseases, such as stomach cancer and ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori and Lyme disease by Borrelia burgdorferi [7], and to utilize them for synthetic biology applications
In this opinion piece, we probe the physiological role of Autoinducer 2 (AI-2) by focusing on the best-studied bacterium, Escherichia coli
Summary
Quorum sensing (QS) is the process by which bacteria communicate via secreted signals (autoinducers); once the concentration of the autoinducers reaches a threshold, the signal is detected, and gene expression is altered [1]. It is imperative to have a better understanding of QS in order to be in a position to better control bacteria to prevent diseases, such as stomach cancer and ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori and Lyme disease by Borrelia burgdorferi [7], and to utilize them for synthetic biology applications. In this opinion piece, we probe the physiological role of AI-2 by focusing on the best-studied bacterium, Escherichia coli
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