A Vibrio cholerae autoinducer-receptor pair that controls biofilm formation. Author Kai Papenfort, Justin Silpe, Kelsey Schramma, Jian-Ping Cong, Mohammad Seyedsayamdost, Bonnie Bassler Publication Year 2017 Type Journal Article Abstract Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-cell communication process that enables bacteria to track cell population density and orchestrate collective behaviors. QS relies on the production and detection of, and the response to, extracellular signal molecules called autoinducers. In Vibrio cholerae, multiple QS circuits control pathogenesis and biofilm formation. Here, we identify and characterize a new QS autoinducer-receptor pair. The autoinducer is 3,5-dimethylpyrazin-2-ol (DPO). DPO is made from threonine and alanine, and its synthesis depends on threonine dehydrogenase (Tdh). DPO binds to and activates a transcription factor, VqmA. The VqmA-DPO complex activates expression of vqmR, which encodes a small regulatory RNA. VqmR represses genes required for biofilm formation and toxin production. We propose that DPO allows V. cholerae to regulate collective behaviors to, among other possible roles, diversify its QS output during colonization of the human host. Keywords Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Quorum Sensing, Repressor Proteins, Biofilms, Vibrio cholerae, Pyrazoles Journal Nat Chem Biol Volume 13 Issue 5 Pages 551-557 Date Published 2017 May ISSN Number 1552-4469 DOI 10.1038/nchembio.2336 Alternate Journal Nat Chem Biol PMCID PMC5391282 PMID 28319101 PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML