A Quorum Sensing Regulated Small Volatile Molecule Reduces Acute Virulence and Promotes Chronic Infection Phenotypes

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002192
• Publication Date: 2011-08-04T20:37:27Z
• Authors: Meenu Kesarwani; Ronen Hazan; Jianxin He; YokAi Que; Yiorgos Apidianakis; Biliana Lesic; Gaoping Xiao; Valérie Dekimpe; Sylvain Milot; Eric Deziel; François Lépine; Laurence G. Rahme
• Keywords: Regulon; Virulence factor; Chronic infection

A significant number of environmental microorganisms can cause serious, even fatal, acute and chronic infections in humans. The severity outcome each type infection depends on the expression specific bacterial phenotypes controlled by complex regulatory networks that sense respond to host environment. Although signals contribute a successful have been identified pathogens, mediate onset establishment yet be discovered. We volatile, low molecular weight molecule, 2-amino acetophenone (2-AA), produced opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa reduces virulence vivo flies an mouse model. 2-AA modulates activity regulator MvfR (multiple factor regulator) via negative feedback loop it promotes emergence P. likely promote lung infections, including accumulation lasR mutants, long-term survival at stationary phase, persistence Drosophila report for first time existence quorum sensing (QS) regulated volatile molecule induces bistability phenotype stochastically silencing functions aeruginosa. propose mediates changes subpopulation cells facilitate exploitation dynamic environments gene favor infections.