Title |
Intra-Species and Inter-Kingdom Signaling of Legionella pneumophila
|
---|---|
Published in |
Frontiers in Microbiology, February 2017
|
DOI | 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00079 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Ramon Hochstrasser, Hubert Hilbi |
Abstract |
The ubiquitous Gram-negative bacterium Legionella pneumophila parasitizes environ mental amoebae and, upon inhalation, replicates in alveolar macrophages, thus causing a life-threatening pneumonia called "Legionnaires' disease." The opportunistic pathogen employs a bi-phasic life cycle, alternating between a replicative, non-virulent phase and a stationary, transmissive/virulent phase. L. pneumophila employs the Lqs (Legionella quorum sensing) system as a major regulator of the growth phase switch. The Lqs system comprises the autoinducer synthase LqsA, the homologous sensor kinases LqsS and LqsT, as well as a prototypic response regulator termed LqsR. These components produce, detect, and respond to the α-hydroxyketone signaling molecule LAI-1 (Legionella autoinducer-1, 3-hydroxypentadecane-4-one). LAI-1-mediated signal transduction through the sensor kinases converges on LqsR, which dimerizes upon phosphorylation. The Lqs system regulates the bacterial growth phase switch, pathogen-host cell interactions, motility, natural competence, filament production, and expression of a chromosomal "fitness island." Yet, LAI-1 not only mediates bacterial intra-species signaling, but also modulates the motility of eukaryotic cells through the small GTPase Cdc42 and thus promotes inter-kingdom signaling. Taken together, the low molecular weight compound LAI-1 produced by L. pneumophila and sensed by the bacteria as well as by eukaryotic cells plays a major role in pathogen-host cell interactions. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Portugal | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 47 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 8 | 17% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 7 | 15% |
Student > Master | 7 | 15% |
Student > Postgraduate | 6 | 13% |
Researcher | 5 | 10% |
Other | 4 | 8% |
Unknown | 11 | 23% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 16 | 33% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 12 | 25% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 3 | 6% |
Environmental Science | 1 | 2% |
Chemical Engineering | 1 | 2% |
Other | 3 | 6% |
Unknown | 12 | 25% |