Premium
Quorum sensing by peptide pheromones and two‐component signal‐transduction systems in Gram‐positive bacteria
Author(s) -
Kleerebezem Michiel,
Quadri Luis E. N.,
Kuipers Oscar P.,
De Vos Willem M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1997.4251782.x
Subject(s) - quorum sensing , biology , bacteria , bacillus subtilis , homoserine , two component regulatory system , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , gram negative bacteria , cell signaling , biofilm , virulence , response regulator , biochemistry , gene , genetics , escherichia coli , bacterial protein , mutant
Cell‐density‐dependent gene expression appears to be widely spread in bacteria. This quorum‐sensing phenomenon has been well established in Gram‐negative bacteria, where N ‐acyl homoserine lactones are the diffusible communication molecules that modulate cell‐density‐dependent phenotypes. Similarly, a variety of processes are known to be regulated in a cell‐density‐ or growth‐phase‐dependent manner in Gram‐positive bacteria. Examples of such quorum‐sensing modes in Gram‐positive bacteria are the development of genetic competence in Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae , the virulence response in Staphylococcus aureus , and the production of antimicrobial peptides by several species of Gram‐positive bacteria including lactic acid bacteria. Cell‐density‐dependent regulatory modes in these systems appear to follow a common theme, in which the signal molecule is a post‐translationally processed peptide that is secreted by a dedicated ATP‐binding‐cassette exporter. This secreted peptide pheromone functions as the input signal for a specific sensor component of a two‐component signal‐transduction system. Moreover, genetic linkage of the common elements involved results in autoregulation of peptide‐pheromone production.