SCAN: Termination of the AI-2 signalling in enteric bacteria

Abstract

Quorum sensing is a process many bacteria use to assess cell-population density and synchronize behaviour on a community-wide scale. Communication is mediated by the production, release, and detection of signal molecules called autoinducers.  The LuxS synthase produces Autoinducer-2 a uniqueAAA tgb signal because it may mediate inter-species communication. In enteric bacteria, AI-2 production induces the assembly of a transport apparatus (called Lsr for LuxS Regulated) that internalizes endogenously produced AI-2 as well as AI-2 produced by other bacterial species, thus eliminating the signal from the environment. Here, we will show our attempts to understand the molecular mechanism of the destruction of AI-2 by using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). It is our hypothesis that the products of this process may increase the mutation rate of the bacterial population in response to high cell numbers.  Precisely defining AI-2 metabolism will enable us to understand evolutionary importance of this phenomenon and to manipulate mutation rates in enteric bacteria.

Short CV

Present - Master Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa). Research project in "Organic synthesis of AI-2" at the Organic synthesis Laboratory of ITQB.

Master Degree in Cellular Biology and Biotechnology by Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa. Master thesis in "Termination of the AI-2 Signalling Cycle in Enteric Bacteria" developed in the Bacterial Signalling Laboratory of IGC.

Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences by Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa.