The effect of quorum sensing system for growth competitiveness on Shigella flexneri.

Quorum sensing (QS) regulates the onset of bacterial social responses related to cell density. Comparison between the gene sequences of all components of QS system of Escherichia coli and Shigella strains, shows that the QS system is generally lost or mutated in Shigella. Since AI-2 is produced and processed by the lsr operon, we analyzed the potential function of the lsr operon. We first detected AI-2 in Shigella flexneri 2a strain 301 through the reporter bacteria Vibrio harveyi BB170, indicating that S. flexneri can produce AI-2. Then, the lsr operon of E. coli MG1655 was cloned into S. flexneri using the Golden Gate method. Colony counting experiments showed that the QS system recovery strain had growth advantage over the wild-type strain when they were mixed and cultured. The preliminary comparative proteomics analysis showed that the lsr operon could be expressed and the abundance of stress response proteins also changed when the QS system was introduced into S. flexneri.