Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Characterization of the mechanisms underpinning quorum sensing progression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Award Number: R01GM144361
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2027

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Characterization of the mechanisms underpinning quorum sensing progression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa - PROJECT SUMMARY Quorum sensing (QS) is a mechanism of cell-cell communication that bacteria use to orchestrate collective behaviors, including virulence and biofilm formation. QS relies on the production, release, and group- wide detection of extracellular signal molecules called autoinducers (AI). QS allows bacteria to synchronously alter gene expression patterns that underpin collective behaviors, for example, biofilm formation. Some receptors bind and respond exclusively to one AI, while others bind and respond to multiple AIs. QS is responsible for releasing public goods that are beneficial to kin and, potentially, non-kin, and as a result, it plays an important role in shaping microbial community architecture. QS is now understood to be the norm in the bacterial world. Nonetheless, how different bacterial QS receptors initiate signal transduction is not understood. Defining the mechanisms that regulate QS-mediated production of public goods will be key for generally understanding how organisms coordinate community level changes in gene expression. This is particularly important in light of our findings that P. aeruginosa QS can be activated by signals produced by non-kin. Thus, determining the mechanisms that regulate QS progression after signal recognition will allow us to understand the respective benefits and drawbacks of strict versus relaxed ligand detection in QS-mediated communication. Bacteria live in heterogeneous communities and encounter mixtures of AIs produced by themselves, their kin, and their non-kin neighbors. Upon signal recognition, LasR and RhlR activate hundreds of genes, many of which are involved in pathogenesis and biofilm formation. While some signal transduction pathways follow a linear circuit, the QS system in P. aeruginosa is best described as a dense network of receptors and regulators with interconnecting regulatory systems and outputs. Canonically, the LasR-AI complex activates expression of rhlR and rhlI, thus launching the second QS system, enabling the two QS systems to function in tandem. Surprisingly, rhlR can be upregulated in clinical isolates containing lasR inactivating mutations. RhlR can also function without its partner synthase to regulate certain genes. This is achieved via a metallo-hydrolase known as PqsE. We discovered that PqsE and RhlR interact to form a complex. We will explore the role of PqsE in regulating RhlR function and describe their tandem role in transcriptional regulation and pathogenesis in AIM 1. The progression into QS corresponds to a downregulation of certain regulatory elements that function at low cell density to potentially mitigate early entry into QS. We have discovered that Fis, which is expressed during log phase, regulates the production of rhlA, a gene responsible for the synthesis of rhamnolipids, which are a bacterial surfactant important for infections. We will explore the mechanism Fis uses to achieve this regulation, in addition to what role it might play in regulating other QS genes and behaviors in AIM 2.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $283,438 )
2026	2026	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	150 BROADWAY STE 280	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	5	1/14/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$255,096
2026	2026	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	150 BROADWAY STE 280	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	5	3/19/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$28,342
														Subtotal = $283,438

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $183,438 )
2025	2025	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	150 BROADWAY STE 280	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	4	1/28/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$183,438
														Subtotal = $183,438

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $283,438 )
2024	2024	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	150 BROADWAY STE 280	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	3	7/23/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$28,342
2024	2024	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	150 BROADWAY STE 280	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	3	1/24/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$255,096
														Subtotal = $283,438

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $493,460 )
2023	2023	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	EMPIRE STATE PLAZA	ALBANY	NY	12237	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	2	1/18/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$254,638
2023	2023	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	STE 280, RIVERVIEW CENTER	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	002	2	3/28/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$28,293
2023	2023	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	EMPIRE STATE PLAZA	ALBANY	NY	12237	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	2	1/25/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$56,076
2023	2023	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	STE 280, RIVERVIEW CENTER	MENANDS	NY	12204	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	003	2	6/6/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$154,453
														Subtotal = $493,460

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $323,483 )
2022	2022	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	EMPIRE STATE PLAZA	ALBANY	NY	12237	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	1	9/2/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$40,054
2022	2022	HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.	EMPIRE STATE PLAZA	ALBANY	NY	12237	ALBANY	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	2/16/2022	NEW	$283,429
														Subtotal = $323,483

Grand Total All Awards = $1,567,257

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Characterization of the mechanisms underpinning quorum sensing progression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Award Number: R01GM144361

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2027

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer