Abstract
Aims: Experiments were designed to detect quorum-sensing signals produced by Clostridium botulinum. Methods and Results: Clostridium botulinum 56A cell-free supernatants obtained at the end of lag phase, the mid-exponential phase and early stationary phase of growth were assayed for bioluminescence in the Vibrio harveyi quorum-sensing assay system. Twelve and 16-h culture supernatants induced bioluminescence in the auto-inducer 2 (AI-2) but not the auto-inducer 1 (AI-1) assay. Intra-species quorum sensing was also assayed as the ability of the supernatants to promote spore germination and outgrowth in a microtitre plate system. Spore populations exposed to C. botulinum supernatant from the end of lag phase became positive for growth sooner than controls. Conclusions: The influence of cell-free supernatant on ungerminated spores and detection of bioluminescence in the AI-2 assay are evidence for a signalling molecule(s) and provide a first step in characterizing C. botulinum quorum sensing. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests that spores do not behave independently of each other and may explain the inocula size effects observed in challenge studies. Whether AI-2 production in C. botulinum serves as an inter-species signal or as a detoxification mechanism remains to be determined.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 54-58 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Letters in Applied Microbiology |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2006 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Keywords
- Autoinducer-1
- Autoinducer-2
- Bioluminescence
- Spores
- Vibrio harveyi
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Evidence for quorum sensing in Clostridium botulinum 56A. / Zhao, L.; Montville, T. J.; Schaffner, D. W.
In: Letters in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 42, No. 1, 01.01.2006, p. 54-58.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for quorum sensing in Clostridium botulinum 56A
AU - Zhao, L.
AU - Montville, T. J.
AU - Schaffner, D. W.
PY - 2006/1/1
Y1 - 2006/1/1
N2 - Aims: Experiments were designed to detect quorum-sensing signals produced by Clostridium botulinum. Methods and Results: Clostridium botulinum 56A cell-free supernatants obtained at the end of lag phase, the mid-exponential phase and early stationary phase of growth were assayed for bioluminescence in the Vibrio harveyi quorum-sensing assay system. Twelve and 16-h culture supernatants induced bioluminescence in the auto-inducer 2 (AI-2) but not the auto-inducer 1 (AI-1) assay. Intra-species quorum sensing was also assayed as the ability of the supernatants to promote spore germination and outgrowth in a microtitre plate system. Spore populations exposed to C. botulinum supernatant from the end of lag phase became positive for growth sooner than controls. Conclusions: The influence of cell-free supernatant on ungerminated spores and detection of bioluminescence in the AI-2 assay are evidence for a signalling molecule(s) and provide a first step in characterizing C. botulinum quorum sensing. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests that spores do not behave independently of each other and may explain the inocula size effects observed in challenge studies. Whether AI-2 production in C. botulinum serves as an inter-species signal or as a detoxification mechanism remains to be determined.
AB - Aims: Experiments were designed to detect quorum-sensing signals produced by Clostridium botulinum. Methods and Results: Clostridium botulinum 56A cell-free supernatants obtained at the end of lag phase, the mid-exponential phase and early stationary phase of growth were assayed for bioluminescence in the Vibrio harveyi quorum-sensing assay system. Twelve and 16-h culture supernatants induced bioluminescence in the auto-inducer 2 (AI-2) but not the auto-inducer 1 (AI-1) assay. Intra-species quorum sensing was also assayed as the ability of the supernatants to promote spore germination and outgrowth in a microtitre plate system. Spore populations exposed to C. botulinum supernatant from the end of lag phase became positive for growth sooner than controls. Conclusions: The influence of cell-free supernatant on ungerminated spores and detection of bioluminescence in the AI-2 assay are evidence for a signalling molecule(s) and provide a first step in characterizing C. botulinum quorum sensing. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests that spores do not behave independently of each other and may explain the inocula size effects observed in challenge studies. Whether AI-2 production in C. botulinum serves as an inter-species signal or as a detoxification mechanism remains to be determined.
KW - Autoinducer-1
KW - Autoinducer-2
KW - Bioluminescence
KW - Spores
KW - Vibrio harveyi
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645223463&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33645223463&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2005.01807.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2005.01807.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 16411920
AN - SCOPUS:33645223463
VL - 42
SP - 54
EP - 58
JO - Letters in Applied Microbiology
JF - Letters in Applied Microbiology
SN - 0266-8254
IS - 1
ER -