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The alternative sigma factor RpoN regulates the quorum sensing gene rhlI in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The alternative sigma factor RpoN regulates the quorum sensing gene rhlI in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
The alternative sigma factor RpoN regulates the quorum sensing gene rhlI in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
The rhl quorum sensing (QS) circuit of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to regulate the expression of a number of virulence factors. This study investigates the regulation of rhlI, encoding the auto-inducer synthase RhlI responsible for the synthesis of N-butryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL). A putative RpoN binding site was located upstream, in the promoter region of rhlI. Utilising a rhlI-lacZ transcriptional reporter, we demonstrate that under certain media conditions RpoN is a positive regulator of rhlI transcription. Measurements of BHL in extracted supernatant showed that the transcriptional patterns were reflected in the BHL levels, which were reduced in the rpoN mutant. Elastase and pyocyanin, known to be regulated by the rhl QS circuit, were shown to be reduced in a RpoN deficient strain. However, exogenous addition of BHL to the rpoN mutant did not restore these phenotypes suggesting that other regulatory factors apart from BHL are involved. Consistent with other rhl regulated phenotypes, we found that a rpoN mutant strain forms a biofilm that is different from that of the wild-type but similar to that displayed by a rhlI mutant.
rhlI regulation, rpon, biofilm, quorum sensing, pseudomonas aeruginosa
0378-1097
187-195
Thompson, Lyndal S.
513cef3d-3f01-467f-9f93-0564fdae008e
Webb, Jeremy S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Rice, Scott A.
4f9516db-1d35-4211-878c-bb6cfb2a6b4a
Kjelleberg, Staffan
043b66b5-130c-42f2-99b3-ec3eecf3248e
Thompson, Lyndal S.
513cef3d-3f01-467f-9f93-0564fdae008e
Webb, Jeremy S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Rice, Scott A.
4f9516db-1d35-4211-878c-bb6cfb2a6b4a
Kjelleberg, Staffan
043b66b5-130c-42f2-99b3-ec3eecf3248e

Thompson, Lyndal S., Webb, Jeremy S., Rice, Scott A. and Kjelleberg, Staffan (2003) The alternative sigma factor RpoN regulates the quorum sensing gene rhlI in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 220 (2), 187-195. (doi:10.1016/S0378-1097(03)00097-1). (PMID:12670680)

Record type: Article

Abstract

The rhl quorum sensing (QS) circuit of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to regulate the expression of a number of virulence factors. This study investigates the regulation of rhlI, encoding the auto-inducer synthase RhlI responsible for the synthesis of N-butryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL). A putative RpoN binding site was located upstream, in the promoter region of rhlI. Utilising a rhlI-lacZ transcriptional reporter, we demonstrate that under certain media conditions RpoN is a positive regulator of rhlI transcription. Measurements of BHL in extracted supernatant showed that the transcriptional patterns were reflected in the BHL levels, which were reduced in the rpoN mutant. Elastase and pyocyanin, known to be regulated by the rhl QS circuit, were shown to be reduced in a RpoN deficient strain. However, exogenous addition of BHL to the rpoN mutant did not restore these phenotypes suggesting that other regulatory factors apart from BHL are involved. Consistent with other rhl regulated phenotypes, we found that a rpoN mutant strain forms a biofilm that is different from that of the wild-type but similar to that displayed by a rhlI mutant.

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More information

Published date: 28 March 2003
Keywords: rhlI regulation, rpon, biofilm, quorum sensing, pseudomonas aeruginosa

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 186839
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/186839
ISSN: 0378-1097
PURE UUID: 9bfbfec7-f627-440c-bbbb-1297ac1c4c78
ORCID for Jeremy S. Webb: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2068-8589

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Date deposited: 20 May 2011 14:06
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:26

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Contributors

Author: Lyndal S. Thompson
Author: Jeremy S. Webb ORCID iD
Author: Scott A. Rice
Author: Staffan Kjelleberg

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