Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2025
Identification of Virulence Markers of Mycobacterium abscessus for Intracellular Replication in Phagocytes
Published on: September 27, 2018
Pseudomonas aeruginosa pqs Quorum Sensing Mediates Interaction with Mycobacterium abscessus In Vitro
Yun Long1,2, Zhi Li2, Menglu Li2
1Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China.
Abstract:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium abscessus are opportunistic pathogens that cause severe infections in hospitals, and their co-infections are increasingly reported. The interspecies interactions between these two bacterial species and their potential impacts on infections are largely unexplored. In this study, we first demonstrated that P. aeruginosa inhibits the growth of M. abscessus by iron chelating via pqs quorum sensing. Next, through proteomic analysis, we discovered that the PQS molecule significantly changed a large amount of protein expression in M. abscessus, including proteins involved in the type VII secretion system and iron homeostasis. Furthermore, we revealed that PQS significantly enhanced the production of bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) by M. abscessus. Our study suggests that the P. aeruginosa PQS can serve as an interspecies signaling molecule to communicate with Mycobacterium and affect their physiology and virulence.
Insights
Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses a quorum sensing molecule to inhibit Mycobacterium abscessus growth by limiting iron. This molecule also alters M. abscessus protein expression and increases membrane vesicle production.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
- Interspecies Interactions
Background:
- Opportunistic pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium abscessus cause severe hospital infections.
- Co-infections with these bacteria are increasingly reported, but their interactions remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interspecies interactions between P. aeruginosa and M. abscessus.
- To explore the impact of P. aeruginosa quorum sensing on M. abscessus physiology and virulence.
Main Methods:
- Demonstration of P. aeruginosa's growth inhibition of M. abscessus via iron chelation.
- Proteomic analysis of M. abscessus in response to PQS molecule.
- Assessment of bacterial membrane vesicle production.
Main Results:
- P. aeruginosa inhibits M. abscessus growth through iron chelation mediated by the pqs quorum sensing system.
- The PQS molecule significantly altered protein expression in M. abscessus, affecting type VII secretion system and iron homeostasis.
- PQS significantly enhanced the production of bacterial membrane vesicles by M. abscessus.
Conclusions:
- P. aeruginosa's PQS acts as an interspecies signaling molecule.
- PQS influences M. abscessus physiology, including protein expression and membrane vesicle production.
- This communication impacts the virulence of M. abscessus during co-infections.
