Bacterial quorum sensing regulator (QS regulator)

Bacterial quorum sensing regulators are proteins, often receptors or transcription factors, that mediate the response of bacteria to cell-density-dependent chemical signals called autoinducers. These regulators detect specific signaling molecules (such as acyl-homoserine lactones in Gram-negative, autoinducing peptides in Gram-positive bacteria), and upon activation, alter the expression of genes controlling processes such as virulence, biofilm formation, nutrient acquisition, and antibiotic resistance. Inhibition of quorum sensing regulators is a promising therapeutic approach to disarm pathogens without directly killing them, which may reduce the evolution of classical antibiotic resistance. Current therapeutic efforts target either the molecular synthesis of autoinducers, their detection by quorum sensing regulators, or the downstream gene regulatory response[1][4][2][3][6][8].

Other names

Quorum sensing regulatorQS regulatorbacterial QS regulatorquorum-sensing signal transduction proteinautoinducer receptor

Inhibition of autoinducer (signal molecule) synthesis Blockade of signal molecule binding to its receptor Enzymatic inactivation/degradation of signaling molecules Downregulation of quorum-sensing-controlled gene expression (virulence, biofilm, antibiotic resistance)[8][2][4]