Molecular biology of bacterial bioluminescence.

Meighen, Edward A.

doi:10.1128/mmbr.55.1.123-142.1991

Cited by 490 publications

(286 citation statements)

References 90 publications

(142 reference statements)

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“…In addition to this observed similarity to the V.fischeri LuxI protein ExpI appears even more closely related to the Eag 1 polypeptide ( Figure 5), a functional analogue of LuxI recently identified from Enterobacter agglomerans (S.Swift et al, in preparation). In V.fischeri the LuxI protein is part of a regulatory circuit that controls bioluminescence (Meighen, 1991). LuxI directs the synthesis of a signal molecule, the autoinducer, which is required to activate the structural bioluminescence genes by the response regulator, the LuxR protein (Engebrecht et al, 1983;Engebrecht and Silverman, 1984;Choi and Greenberg, 1992).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This autoinducer, HSL, is employed in communication between V.fischeri cells in culture. It is excreted by the cells and, when sufficient amounts of it have accumulated, the lux operon is activated (Meighen, 1991). We were interested in whether a similar diffusible signalling molecule is produced in E.c.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The image in A shows the bioluminescence documented by photography from the bacterial plate shown in B which was incubated overnight at 28°C. The impaired growth of the lux+ pJE202 harboring strain (4) is most likely due to the high energy demand required for light production (Meighen, 1991). planta, expI mutants were preincubated with acellular spent culture supernatants from expI+ E. coli strains prior to inoculation of the tobacco leaves.…”

Section: Restoration Of Virulence By Autoinducermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A well known example of a regulatory system relying on small signal molecules is the cell density-dependent control of bioluminescence in Vibriofischeri and related luminous bacteria (for review see Meighen, 1991). The activation of the structural lax genes required for light emission in V.fischeri is dependent on the accumulation of a small diffusible autoinducer molecule, N-(3-oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone (HSL) (Eberhard et al, 1981;.…”

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A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora.

et al. 1993

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Virulence of the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora is dependent on the production and secretion of a complex arsenal of plant cell wall‐degrading enzymes. Production of these exoenzymes is controlled by a global regulatory mechanism. A virulent mutants in one of the regulatory loci, expI, show a pleiotropic defect in the growth phase‐dependent transcriptional activation of exoenzyme gene expression. The expI gene encodes a 26 kDa polypeptide that is structurally and functionally related to the luxI gene product of Vibrio fischeri. Functional similarity of expI and luxI has been demonstrated by reciprocal genetic complementation experiments. LuxI controls bioluminescence in V.fischeri in a growth phase‐dependent manner by directing the synthesis of the diffusible autoinducer, N‐(3‐oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone. E.c. subsp. carotovora expI+ strains or Escherichia coli harboring the cloned expI gene excrete a small diffusible signal molecule that complements the expI mutation of Erwinia as well as a luxI mutation of V.fischeri. This extracellular complementation can also be achieved by E.coli harboring the luxI gene from V.fischeri or by adding the synthetic V.fischeri autoinducer. Both the production of the plant tissue‐macerating exoenzymes and the ability of the bacteria to propagate in planta are restored in expI mutants by autoinducer addition. These data suggest that the same signal molecule is employed in control of such diverse processes as virulence in a plant pathogen and bioluminescence in a marine bacterium, and may represent a general mechanism by which bacteria modulate gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Restoration Of Virulence By Autoinducermentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora.

et al. 1993

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“…For all the bacterial luciferases characterized to date, the genes ( lux ) that encode the luciferase enzyme (Lux) and biosynthetic enzymes for synthesis of the aldehyde substrate are present on a single operon (the lux operon). These five genes are called luxA-luxE , with luxA and B encoding the alpha and beta subunits of the heterodimeric luciferase and luxCDE encoding proteins for aldehyde production (Meighen, 1991;1993). The lux operon from P. luminescens is ideally suited for the study of pathogens in mammalian animal models as the enzyme retains significant activity at 37 ∞ C (Szittner and Meighen, 1990;Li et al ., 1993;Meighen, 1993).…”

Section: Diversity and Biology Of Bioluminescencementioning

confidence: 99%

In vivo bioluminescence imaging for integrated studies of infection

Doyle

Burns

Contag

2004

Cellular Microbiology

197

162

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SummaryUnderstanding biological processes in the context of intact organ systems with fine temporal resolution has required the development of imaging strategies that reveal cellular and molecular changes in the living body. Reporter genes that confer optical signatures on a given biological process have been used widely in cell biology and have been used more recently to interrogate biological processes in living animal models of human biology and disease. The use of internal biological sources of light, luciferases, to tag cells, pathogens, and genes has proved to be a versatile tool to provide in vivo indicators that can be detected externally. The application of this technology to the study of animal models of infectious disease has not only provided insights into disease processes, but has also revealed new mechanisms by which pathogens may avoid host defences during infection.

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Comparison of relative photon flux from single cells of the bioluminescent marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi using photon‐counting microscopy

1999

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Photon counting microscopy was used to quantify relative photon flux from 616 single sessile cells of Vibrio harveyi and 180 single sessile cells of V. fischeri. V. fischeri cells all emitted light at nearly the same level (average 15.93+/-11.48 photons/min, range 0-58.9 photons/min) when bioluminescence was induced, whereas photon flux of V. harveyi single cells was extremely variable (average 10.51+/-20.60 photons/min, range 0-211 photons/min).

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Molecular biology of bacterial bioluminescence.

Cited by 490 publications

References 90 publications

A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora.

A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora.

In vivo bioluminescence imaging for integrated studies of infection

Comparison of relative photon flux from single cells of the bioluminescent marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi using photon‐counting microscopy

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