Quorum sensing Flashcards
what are the two genes of quorum sensing
I gene encodes an autoinducer synthase and the R gene encodes a transcriptional activator protein (R-protein).
how do the autoinducer synthase and R protein work together
- Autoinducer synthase is responsible for the synthesis of an autoinducer molecule (AI), which crosses the cell membrane.
- With increasing cell-density the intracellular concentration of AI reaches a threshold level, and the AI then binds to the transcriptional activator.
- The complex R-protein/AI activates the expression of specific target genes.
what happens to polymorphous leukocytes when they approach the biofilm boundary?
Initially when polymorphos (leukocytes) come in they mop up the free living bacteria but become passive even necrotic on the boundary of the colony (where the shield is being established)
PMN attaction and destrucction causes collateral damage to the tissue and inflammation develops
what steps of biofilm formation are under cyclic-di-GMP control
Reversible attachment, irreversible attachment, cell proliferation
what steps in biofilm formation are under control of QS factors?
Biofilm maturation, dissolution
What are the steps in biofilm formation?
- Reversible attachment
- Irreversible attachment
- Cell proliferation
- Biofilm maturation
- Dissolution
what happens when polymorphonuclear leukocytes approach a biofilm
THey are able to mop up the free living bacteria that having joined the biofilm yet
At the boundary of the biofilm there is a rhamnolipid sheild that causes them to become necrotic. this cause collateral damage to the tissue as inflammation develops
the exacerbates wounds and infections
what are three major quorum sensing systems in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
Las
RHL
PQS
describe the las operon produces QS molecule
LasR = regulator and LasI = synthase
LasI codes for synthesis of OdDHL (C12 homoserine lactone)
At low concentration OdDHL doesnt do much, when cell density increase, OdDHL conc increases which feeds back to the cell to upregulate the LasR regulator therefore producing more OdDHL
LasR also induces RHL system to produce BHL
what is OdDHL?
N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone
A Qs molecule produced by the Las operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
What is BHL?
N-butyoyl-1-homoserine lactone (C4)
A QS molecule produced by the RHL operon in pseudomonas aeruginosa
hows does the RHL system produce Qs molecule?
rhlR regulator and rhlI synthase
rhlI produce BHL (c4)
BHL increases in concentration and positively upregulates rhlR in an induction loop
what virulence factors does OdDHL upregulate
elastase, LasA protease, alkaline protease, exotoxin A, protein secretion
what virulence factors does BHL upregulate
elastase
alkaline production
chitinase
lipase
rhamnolipids
cyanide
pyocyanin
rpoS
pilin export and adhesion
how does pseudomnas immunomodulation effect t helper cells
the virulence factor upregulated by the QS molecules disrupt the baclance of Th1 and Th2 cells
tipping the balance from th1 to th2 causes and imbalance that results in an inflammatory response
what major factors are controlled by the QS systems in P.aeruginosa
4
biofilm development, antibiotic tolerance, virulence and immune shielding
what molecule is responsible for the PMN leukocyte sheild
rhamnolipid
what is one (immune related) caveat of laboratory biofilm research
In vitro biofilms seems to produce only minor amounts of rhamnolipids
(bcos PMN leukocytes arent present, rhamnolipid production seen when they are added)
what do you see upregulation of when you had PMN leukocytes to P.aeruginosa biofilms grown in flow cells
You see profound upregulation of the PQS system, pyocynin and rhamnolipid.
how do we measure the physiological status of PMN leukocytes at the sheilf
Measure lactate dehydrogenase activity showing potential leakage from polymorphs
what do rhamnolipids do to pmn leukocytes at the sheild
cause necrosis
what causes rhamnolipid production?
PMNs produce and release dynorphin at sites of inflammation
Dynorphin A induce PQS and rhamnolipids
what is dynorphin A
5
- Dynorphin A induces PQS and rhamnolipids
- Endogenous κ-agonists belonging to the opioid peptides
- Modulates pain and stress signals in the body
- Found in Central Nervous System
- Contained in various immune cells, including polymorphs
describe the molecule cascade that leads to pmn necrosis
Biofilm produces virulence factors that cause inflammation. Polymorphs are attracted and produce and secrete this molecule dynorphin A which causes pseudomonas puts up the shield (produces rhamnolipids) in response to this subsequently causing lysis of pmns
how does pqs link the las and rhl systems
las upregulates pqs which upregulates rhl; pqs links las and rhl systems
which qs system is responsible for the rhamnolipid
pqs
how is PQS synthesised
PQs is synthesized through the PQS operon, A B C D E
PQS A – autoinducer synthase, leads to the production of HHQ a precursor of PQS.
PQS positively upregulates either directly PQS A or indirectly though another molecule PQS R which also positively upregulates the PQS A system
what is PQS
2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone
the 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone (PQS) biosynthetic precursor 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline (HHQ) triggers a PqsR-dependent positive feedback loop that leads to the increased expression of only the pqsABCDE operon,
PQS promotes 2-alkyl-4-quinolones (Aqs) biosynthesis, the expression of genes involved in the iron-starvation response and virulence factor production via PqsR-dependent and PqsR-independent pathways,
what is the precursor molecule to PQS
2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline (HHQ)
what does HHQ do
in the PQS pathway
triggers a PqsR-dependent positive feedback loop that leads to the increased expression of only the pqsABCDE operon,
serves as substrate for PQS synthesis
promotes PpqsA activity via PqsR to increase its own synethsis and PqsE expression
what does PqsE do
represses PqsA activity
PQS E negatively regulates PQS A if too much produced
increases expression of virulence determinants
involved in the regulation of diverse genes coding for key virulence determinants and biofilm development,
how can PMN function be restored?
By a QS inhibitor
Small molecule signal blockers are introduced which do not kill bacteria but block their QS system. The dynorphin signal is not perceived. The shield does not form and the immune cells can actively break down the bacterial biofilm
what is quorum quenching?
the inhibition of QS using chemical or enzymatic means to counteract behaviors regulated by QS.
give an example of quroum quencing
Bacillus produce lactonase that cleaves the lactone ring so you get a diol that can no longer function as a QS molecule
also
Acylase and Oxireductase
what is biofouling
the accumulation of microorganisms, plants, algae, or small animals on wet surfaces that have a mechanical function, causing structural or other functional deficiencies
why is Delisea pulchra rarely fouled?
- Delisea pulchra is rarely fouled in nature due to the production of secondary metabolites (halogenated furanone compounds).
- These compounds have strong biological activity, including anti-QS and antimicrobial properties
give two synthetic analogs of halogenated furanones
C30 and C56
what happens when you add furanone to mouse lung infected with p.aeruginosa
Add low furanone treatment not much effect, as increase furanone conc you see a dramatic decrease in CFUs
The furanone is inhibiting the pseudomnas aeruginosa QS defense mechanism so now the the PMN are now able to clear the infection
give three examples of bacterial species that dont respond to homoserine lactones (AI1)
E.coli
H.pylori
Salmonella
how is autoinducer 2 produced
methyltransferases act upon S-adenosylmethionine to make S-adenosylhomocysteine
the adenine is removed to make S-ribosylhomocysteine
LuxS removes the homocysteine catalysing the production of DPD, 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanadione
this acts a precursor which can cyclise into a moelcule called proautoinducer 2, which turns into autoinducer 2 when in complex with LuxP, some bacteria require borate also at this step
why called lux genes?
when studied in vibrio, large colonies luminesce