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Influence of mutations in genes of global transcriptional regulators on production of autoinducer AI-2 in the Escherichia coli Quorum Sensing system

  • Genetics of Microorganisms
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Abstract

The control of gene expression in response to an increase in the bacterial population density (Quorum Sensing) involves low-molecular-weight signal molecules (autoinducers, AI). AI-2 and synthase LuxS mediating its synthesis are widely distributed in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In this work, the data were obtained on the role of global regulators of gene expression in AI-2 synthesis in Escherichia coli cells. The mutation inactivating gene rpoS (encodes sigma S subunit of RNA polymerase) was shown to drastically decrease an amount of active AI-2 in the culture medium. Mutations in gene rpoN that encodes sigma N subunit of RNA polymerase and also in gene lon, which encodes Lon proteinase, on the contrary, increase an amount of active AI-2 in supernatants of cultures. Mutant strains lacking histone-like proteins H-NS and StpA accumulate a slightly higher amount of AI-2 than the isogenic wild-type strain: however, an amount of AI-2 decreased in the culture medium of the double mutant devoid of both these proteins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182, Russia

    A. S. Belik & I. A. Khmel

  2. State Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow, 117545, Russia

    G. B. Zavil’gel’skii

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  1. A. S. Belik
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  2. G. B. Zavil’gel’skii
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  3. I. A. Khmel
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Correspondence to I. A. Khmel.

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Original Russian Text © A.S. Belik, G.B. Zavil’gel’skii, I.A. Khmel, 2008, published in Genetika, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 9, pp. 1184–1190.

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Belik, A.S., Zavil’gel’skii, G.B. & Khmel, I.A. Influence of mutations in genes of global transcriptional regulators on production of autoinducer AI-2 in the Escherichia coli Quorum Sensing system. Russ J Genet 44, 1031–1036 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795408090044

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