Yersinia pestis uses AHL-based quorum sensing to regulate metabolic functions likely to be important for flea colonization
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ABSTRACT: The etiologic agent of bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, senses cell density-dependent chemical signals to synchronize transcription between cells of the population in a process named quorum sensing. Though the closely related enteric pathogen Y. pseudotuberculosis uses quorum sensing system to regulate motility, the role of quorum sensing in Y. pestis has been unclear. In this study we performed transcriptional profiling experiments to identify Y. pestis quorum sensing regulated functions. Our analysis revealed that acyl-homoserine lactone based quorum sensing controls the expression of several metabolic functions. Maltose fermentation and the glyoxylate bypass are induced by acyl-homoserine lactone signaling. This effect was seen to be temperature conditional. Metabolism is unresponsive to quorum sensing regulation at mammalian body temperature, indicating a potential role for quorum sensing regulation of metabolism specifically during colonization of the flea vector. It is proposed that utilization of alternative carbon sources may enhance growth and/or survival during prolonged flea colonization, contributing to maintenance of plague in nature.
ORGANISM(S): Yersinia pestis Yersinia pestis CO92
PROVIDER: GSE29240 | GEO | 2016/01/01
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA153977
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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