Evaluated 9 Nov 2007 by Antonio Juarez Gimenez, Faculty of 1000
PAPERS CITED BY FACULTY OF 1000 BIOLOGY
1.
Structure and function of the
Escherichia coli protein YmgB: a protein critical for biofilm formation and
acid-resistance.
Lee J, Page R, García-Contreras R, Palermino JM, Zhang XS, Doshi O, Wood TK,
Peti W, J Mol Biol 2007 Oct 12
373(1):11-26
This interesting paper reports
on the identification and characterization of the YmgB protein, a new global
modulator of gene expression in Escherichia coli. YmgB protein plays a critical
role in biofilm formation and acid-resistance. In spite of the
fact that they share only 5% sequence identity, the YmgB 3D structure shows
close structural similarity to the Hha protein. Hha has been characterized as a
temperature- and osmolarity-dependent modulator of virulence factors in enteric
bacteria. Hence, the all-alpha helical structure of these proteins appears to
play key modulatory roles in different regulatory networks that enable E. coli
and other related bacteria to adapt to a wide variety of environmental imputs.
YmgB represents a good example: in some instances, information about the 3D
structure of a protein, rather than the primary structure, may lead to the
determination of its function.
Evaluated 9 Nov 2007 by
Antonio Juarez Gimenez, Faculty of 1000
2.
Autoinducer 2 controls biofilm
formation in Escherichia coli through a novel motility quorum-sensing
regulator (MqsR, B3022).
González Barrios AF, Zuo R, Hashimoto Y, Yang L, Bentley WE, Wood TK, J
Bacteriol 2006 Jan 188(1):305-16.
The authors have identified a
direct connection between the quorum sensing signal autoinducer-2 (AI-2) and
biofilm formation in E. coli. By using synthetic AI-2 and a series of
deletion mutants, the authors found that a novel regulatory protein called MqsR
regulated biofilm formation. MqsR affected the expression of other regulatory
elements that affect biofilm formation, including csrA and QseBC. The authors
propose a model for AI-2-mediated biofilm formation in E. coli that can
be tested by others. This paper is essential reading for researchers interested
in biofilms, quorum sensing, the ecology of the gut and E. coli
pathogenesis.
Evaluated 14 Mar 2006 by Eric S. Gilbert, Faculty of 1000
3.
Differential
Gene Expression for Investigation of Escherichia coli Biofilm Inhibition
by Plant Extract Ursolic Acid.
Ren D, Zuo R, González Barrios AF, Bedzyk LA, Eldridge GR, Pasmore ME, Wood TK
Appl Environ Microbiol 2005 Jul 71(7):4022-34
The authors have identified a
novel compound that inhibits biofilm formation without inhibiting growth. A
library of plant compounds was screened for anti-biofilm activity using a
colorimetric assay, and this led to the identification of ursolic acid, which
was effective at inhibiting biofilm formation at concentrations as low as 10 ug
per mL. A microarray assay of the E. coli transcriptome determined
that genes involved in chemotaxis and motility were upregulated by ursolic acid,
and genes involved in sulfur metabolism were repressed. Ursolic acid did not
influence autoinducer-1 or autoinducer-2 regulated activity. This report will be
of great interest to researchers working on all aspects of microbial biofilms,
and looks to be an exciting story to follow.
Evaluated 25 Jul 2005 by Eric S. Gilbert, Faculty of
1000
4.
Differential gene expression shows natural brominated furanones interfere with
the autoinducer-2 bacterial signaling system of Escherichia coli.
Ren D, Bedzyk LA, Ye RW, Thomas SM, Wood TK
Biotechnol Bioeng 2004 Dec 5 88(5):630-42
This paper makes a strong
statement for the role of autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in the regulation of E. coli
gene expression, and the ability of furanone to repress AI-2 controlled genes.
Using DNA microarrays, the authors found that nearly 80 percent of E. coli
genes that were induced by AI-2 were repressed in the presence of furanone.
The authors discuss their work in relation to two previous DNA microarray
investigations of AI-2 controlled genes in E. coli conducted by other
researchers. The presented work indicates that furanone did not affect gene
expression at the transcriptional level, and the authors hypothesize that
furanone acts by interacting directly with LuxS. This paper is essential reading
for scientists interested in the role of quorum sensing in microbiology.
Evaluated 15 Dec 2004 by Eric S. Gilbert, Faculty of
1000
Fernandes R, Tsao CY, Hashimoto Y, Wang L, Wood TK, Payne GF, Bentley WE
Metab Eng 2006 Dec 15 in press
Fernandes and co-workers
demonstrate an exciting new approach to biosynthesis at the cellular scale.
The authors took advantage of the pH-dependent features of chitosan-magnetite
nanoparticles to conjugate enzymes to novel tyrosine "pro-tags" and then
attached the resultant "nanofactories" to the surfaces of living cells for
localized small molecule delivery. Moreover, the nanofactory-coated cells could
be magnetically captured, allowing for further experimentation. This
proof-of-concept work was evaluated using two enzymes that catalyze the
production of the quorum-sensing signal molecule AI-2 and AI-2-responsive
bioreporter strains. Cells associated with the nanofactories showed a 10-fold
increase in activity relative to controls. These researchers are clearly
thinking "outside the box" and their nanofactory approach will have relevance to
a wide range of biotechnological and medical applications.
Evaluated 7 Feb 2007 by Eric S. Gilbert, Faculty of 1000
What is Faculty of 1000 Biology?
Faculty of 1000 Biology-in the press