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PMID: 20188674 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Negative feedback loops involving small regulatory RNAs precisely control the Vibrio harveyi quorum-sensing response.

Molecular cell ·Vol. 37 ·No. 4 ·2010-02-26 ·Pages 567-79

Tu KC, Long T, Svenningsen SL, Wingreen NS, Bassler BL

Abstract

Quorum-sensing (QS) bacteria assess population density through secretion and detection of molecules called autoinducers (AIs). We identify and characterize two Vibrio harveyi negative feedback loops that facilitate precise transitions between low-cell-density (LCD) and high-cell-density (HCD) states. The QS central regulator LuxO autorepresses its own transcription, and the Qrr small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) posttranscriptionally repress luxO. Disrupting feedback increases the concentration of AIs required for cells to transit from LCD to HCD QS modes. Thus, the two cooperative negative feedback loops determine the point at which V. harveyi has reached a quorum and control the range of AIs over which the transition occurs. Negative feedback regulation also constrains the range of QS output by preventing sRNA levels from becoming too high and preventing luxO mRNA levels from reaching zero. We suggest that sRNA-mediated feedback regulation is a network design feature that permits fine-tuning of gene regulation and maintenance of homeostasis.

MeSH Terms

Bacterial Proteins/genetics,metabolism Base Sequence Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Molecular Sequence Data Nucleic Acid Conformation Protein Biosynthesis Quorum Sensing RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional RNA, Bacterial/chemistry,genetics,metabolism Repressor Proteins/genetics,metabolism Transcription, Genetic Vibrio/chemistry,genetics,metabolism

Chemicals

Bacterial Proteins LuxO protein, Vibrio harveyi RNA, Bacterial Repressor Proteins

Authors & Affiliations

5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Tu Kimberly C

Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1014, USA.

Long Tao

Svenningsen Sine L

Wingreen Ned S

Bassler Bonnie L

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Article Info

Journal

Molecular cell

Abbr.

Mol Cell

ISSN

1097-4164

DOI

10.1016/j.molcel.2010.01.022

Published

2010-02-26

Pages

567-79

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

9802571

PMCID

PMC2844700

Subset

Grants

NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM065859 · United States

NIAID NIH HHS · 5R01AI054442 · United States

NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI054442 · United States

NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM065859-07 · United States

Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States

NIGMS NIH HHS · 5R01GM065859 · United States

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2010.01.022 PMC Full Text View journal details

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Negative feedback loops involving small regulatory RNAs precisely control the Vibrio harveyi quorum-sensing response.

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