Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
07:43
Coincubation Assay for Quantifying Competitive Interactions between Vibrio fischeri Isolates
Published on: July 22, 2019
7.9K
Efficient responses to host and bacterial signals during Vibrio cholerae colonization
Francesca P Rothenbacher1, Jun Zhu1
1Department of Microbiology; Perelman School of Medicine; University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA USA.
Gut Microbes
|November 22, 2013
Summary
Vibrio cholerae senses various host signals like pH, bile, and temperature. This review details how these environmental cues and quorum sensing regulate cholera
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Vibrio cholerae causes cholera, a severe diarrheal disease.
- The bacterium adapts to diverse environments, including the human gut.
- Understanding V. cholerae's sensory mechanisms is crucial for combating cholera.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on signals V. cholerae senses within the human host.
- To discuss the role of environmental stimuli and quorum sensing in V. cholerae infection.
- To explore how these factors regulate virulence and colonization.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on V. cholerae environmental sensing.
- Analysis of research on quorum sensing pathways in V. cholerae.
- Synthesis of findings on signal transduction and virulence regulation.
Main Results:
- V. cholerae detects temperature, pH, bile, osmolarity, oxygen, catabolites, nitric oxide, and mucus.
- These signals influence quorum sensing, which in turn regulates virulence factors.
- Quorum sensing pathways are critical for V. cholerae's success in the host.
Conclusions:
- V. cholerae possesses sophisticated sensory systems to adapt to the host environment.
- Quorum sensing plays a pivotal role in mediating V. cholerae's virulence and colonization.
- Targeting these sensory and regulatory pathways may offer new therapeutic strategies against cholera.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Regulation of Bacterial Virulence
80
Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
80
01:30Bacterial Signaling
29.8K
Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
29.8K
01:25Cholera
153
Cholera is an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route through the ingestion of contaminated water or food.Vibrio cholerae is a motile, Gram-negative bacterium of the family Vibrionaceae, primarily associated with waterborne outbreaks in areas with inadequate sanitation. Although over 200 serogroups of V. cholerae exist, only O1 and O139 are responsible for epidemic cholera. The O1 serogroup,...
153
01:23Stringent Response in E. coli
533
Bacterial growth is closely tied to nutrient availability, with cells proliferating exponentially under favorable conditions and entering a stationary phase when resources become scarce. This transition is mediated by a regulatory mechanism known as the stringent response, which allows bacteria to adapt to nutrient deprivation by modulating gene expression and metabolic activity.During nutrient scarcity, intracellular amino acid levels decline. It results in the accumulation of uncharged tRNAs...
533
01:30Other Stress Responses in Bacteria
593
Bacteria have global regulatory systems that control several types of stress mechanisms. These include Pho regulon and the heat shock response, which are essential systems for environmental adaptation, such as nutrient limitation and proteotoxic stress. The Pho regulon and the heat shock response exemplify bacterial resilience, enabling rapid adaptation to fluctuating environmental conditions.Pho RegulonBacteria require phosphorus for essential cellular processes, including nucleic acid...
593
01:25Colonisation of Pathogens
80
Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
80