Activation of the lux operon in Aliivibrio fischeri

Description:

Description: English: Activation of the lux operon by LuxR and LuxI in Aliivibrio fischeri (A) At low cell density, the autoinducers (3OC6-HSL – red dots), produced by LuxI, diffuse through the cell membrane into the growth medium. (B) As the cell growth continues, the autoinducers in the medium start to accumulate in a confined environment. A very low intensity of light can be detected. (C) When enough autoinducers have accumulated in the medium, they can re-enter the cell where they directly bind the LuxR protein to activate luxICDABEG expression. (D) High levels of autoinducers activate the luminescent system of A. fischeri. A high intensity of light can be detected. Based on Li and Nair (2012) (authorization of use license number 4454260086749). * Li, Z., and Nair, S. K. (2012). Quorum sensing: how bacteria can coordinate activity and synchronize their response to external signals? Protein Sci. 21, 1403–1417. doi: 10.1002/pro.2132. Date: 4 March 2019. Source: [1] doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.00365. Author: Lisa Tanet, Christian Tamburini, Chloé Baumas, Marc Garel, Gwénola Simon and Laurie Casalot.