Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brameyer, Sophie
• Plener, Laure
• Müller, Axel
• Klingl, Andreas
• Wanner, Gerhard
• Jung, Kirsten
• DiRita, Victor J.

Titel

Outer membrane vesicles facilitate trafficking of the hydrophobic signaling molecule CAI-1 between Vibrio harveyi cells

Ist Teil von

• Journal of bacteriology, 2018-08, Vol.200 (15)

Ort / Verlag

United States: American Society for Microbiology

Erscheinungsjahr

2018

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

EZB Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Many bacteria use extracellular signaling molecules to coordinate group behavior, a process referred to as quorum sensing (QS). However, some QS molecules are hydrophobic in character and are probably unable to diffuse across the bacterial cell envelope. How these molecules are disseminated between bacterial cells within a population is not yet fully understood. Here we show that the marine pathogen packages the hydrophobic QS molecule CAI-1, a long-chain amino ketone, into outer membrane vesicles. Electron micrographs indicate that outer membrane vesicles of variable size are predominantly produced and released into the surroundings during stationary phase of , which correlates with the timing of CAI-1-dependent signaling. The large vesicles (diameter < 55 nm) can trigger a QS phenotype in CAI-1 non-producing and cells. Packaging of CAI-1 into outer membrane vesicles might stabilize the molecule in aqueous environments and facilitate its distribution over distances. Formation of membrane vesicles is ubiquitous among bacteria. These vesicles are involved in protein and DNA transfer and offer new approaches for vaccination. Gram-negative bacteria use among others hydrophobic signaling molecules for cell-cell communication, however due to their hydrophobic character it is unclear how these molecules are disseminated between bacterial cells. Here we show that the marine packages one of its quorum sensing molecules, the long-chain ketone CAI-1, into outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Isolated CAI-1-containing vesicles trigger a quorum sensing phenotype in CAI-1 non-producing and also in cells. Packaging of CAI-1 into OMVs not only solubilize, stabilize and concentrate this class of molecules, but facilitate their distribution between bacteria that live in aqueous environments.