Al-1 Mediated Quorum Sensing and Signal Intergration in Vibrio harveyi

描述（由申请人提供）：群体感应是细菌细胞-细胞通讯的过程，涉及分泌信号分子（称为自诱导物）的产生和检测。群体感应允许细菌集体调节基因表达，并作为多细胞生物发挥功能。模型革兰氏阴性群体感应细菌，哈维氏弧菌整合来自三种不同的自诱导物CAI-1，AI-2和AI-1的信息，这些自诱导物一起使种内和种间通信成为可能。我将描述AI-1/LuxN传感器的相互作用，并确定AI-1如何改变LuxN的信号特性。我将对载脂蛋白和全LuxN蛋白进行结构分析。AI-1编码的信息与其他两种哈维氏弧菌自诱导物整合以控制群体感应行为。这些信息汇聚在一起，调节四种冗余的小调节RNA（sRNA）的表达。我将确定群体感应自动诱导物是如何精确控制sRNAs的表达的。对编码sRNA调控元件的DNA的启动子分析表明，另外的转录调控因子调节每个sRNA的水平。我将确定和表征sRNAs的其他调节因子。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Quorum sensing is a process of bacterial cell-cell communication that involves production and detection of secreted signal molecules called autoinducers. Quorum sensing allows bacteria to collectively regulate gene expression and function as multicellular organisms. The model Gram-negative quorum sensing bacterium, Vibrio harveyi integrates information from three different autoinducers, CAI-1, AI-2 and AI-1 that together enable intra- and inter-species communication. I will characterize the AI-1/LuxN sensor interaction and determine how AI-1 alters the signaling properties of LuxN. I will perform structural analyses of apo- and holo- LuxN protein. AI-1 encoded information is integrated with the two other V. harveyi autoinducers to control quorum-sensing behavior. This information converges to regulate expression of four redundant small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs). I will determine how the quorum sensing autoinducers precisely control the expression of the sRNAs. Promoter analysis of the DNA encoding the sRNA regulatory elements suggests that additional transcriptional regulators modulate the level of each sRNA. I will identify and characterize additional regulators of the sRNAs.