Phenotypic Heterogeneity of autoinducer-regulated processes in Vibrio harveyi

细菌产生并排泄信号分子，即所谓的自诱导剂（AIs），这使它们能够在最著名的群体感应过程中监测它们的种群密度和/或环境。该项目将探索哈维弧菌（Vibrio harveyi） aii依赖过程表型异质性的分子基础，哈维弧菌是群体感应中研究最多的模式生物之一。这种细菌产生生物发光、外酶、铁载体、生物膜和iii型分泌系统，依赖于ai。我们发现ai激活的野生型harveyi群落在生物发光方面存在表型异质性。重要的是，异质群体产生生物膜的能力更高。本项目的目标是通过以下研究来研究这些现象的分子细节：人工智能调控的各种表型在浮游细胞生长成生物膜中的时空外观；2. 控制三种AIs （HAI-1、AI-2和CAI-1）有效浓度的分子组分；3. 在复杂信号转导级联中负责（双）多稳定性的分子开关和4。用系统的方法对细菌种群进行分工。解决这些问题将提高我们对细菌种群发展的理解，这与医学和生物技术应用有关。

Bacteria produce and excrete signaling molecules, so called autoinducers (AIs), which allow them to monitor their population density and/or their environment in a process best known as quorum sensing. The project will explore the molecular basis of phenotypic heterogeneity of AIdependent processes in Vibrio harveyi, one of the best investigated model organism in quorum sensing. This bacterium produces bioluminescence, exoenzymes, siderophores, biofilm, and a type-III secretion system in an AIs-dependent manner. We found phenotypic heterogeneity within an AI-activated wild-type community of V. harveyi with respect to bioluminescence production. Importantly, a heterogeneous population had a higher capacity to produce biofilm. It is the goal of this project to investigate the molecular details of these phenomena by studying: 1. the spatiotemporal appearance of various AI-regulated phenotypes in planktonic cells growing into a biofilm; 2. the molecular components that program the available concentration of the three AIs HAI-1, AI-2 and CAI-1; 3. the molecular switches responsible for (bi-) multi-stability within the complex signal transduction cascade; and 4. the division of work within a bacterial population by using systemic approaches. Solving these questions will improve our understanding of the development of bacterial populations which is relevant for medical and biotechnological applications.