Team:Chiba/Project/Signaling-system


 * E.coli Time Manager  

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Signaling System


In this project, we use acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), signaling molecules used for quorum sensing in gram negative bacteria. Senders express LuxI or similar enzymes, which catalyze the production of AHLs, under the control of a constitutive (Tet) promoter. Each cell thus generates AHL more or less at a constant rate. AHL can freely permeate cell membranes and are detected by neighboring cells. Receivers constitutively express LuxR proteins (or a similar ortholog), the protein that detects AHL concentrations. When AHLs bind LuxR proteins, the AHL-LuxR complex activates the Lux promoter. The threshold [AHL] at which switching occurs is determined by the affinity of AHL for the particulr LuxR ortholog. |(more about quorum sensing)