Compositions and methods for regulating bacterial pathogenesis
View Patent ↗The production of a purified extracellular bacterial signal called autoinducer-2 is regulated by changes in environmental conditions associated with a shift from a free-living existence to a colonizing or pathogenic existence in a host organism. Autoinducer-2 stimulates LuxQ luminescence genes, and is believed also to stimulate a variety of pathogenesis related genes in the bacterial species that produce it. A new class of bacterial genes is involved in the biosynthesis of autoinducer-2.
1. An isolated bioluminescent Vibrio harveyi bacterial strain comprising a first genetic alteration in the LuxN gene that inhibits the bioluminescence of the Vibrio harveyi bacterial strain in response to autoinducer-1 of Vibrio harveyi and a second genetic alteration in the LuxS gene that inhibits production of a autoinducer-2 of Vibrio harveyi.
2. A kit comprising the Vibrio harveyi bacterial strain of claim 1 .
3. The bacterial strain of claim 1 , wherein the second genetic alteration inhibits production of a pentanedione.
4. The bacterial strain of claim 3 wherein the pentanedione is 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione.
5. The kit of claim 2 , wherein the second genetic alteration inhibits production of a pentanedione.
6. The kit of claim 5 wherein the pentanedione is 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione.