Team:British Columbia/Project QS

Introduction

The goal of the Quorum Sensing sub-project is to characterize the P2 promoter (BBa_I746104). This promoter controls the transcription of the agr operon found naturally in S. aureus. The agr operon itself is involved in the quorum sensing activity of S. aureus. Bioflm activity is affected by this quorum sensing. Agr C is a transmembrane protein that detects auto inducing peptides (AIP) and then phosphorylates agr A. The phosphorylated agr A can then induce P2 promoter activity, leading to transcription of the agr operon. AIP is created by agr B and D. Agr D is a straight-chain polypeptide that is circularized and exported out of the cell by agr B. The agr operon is therefore an autocatalytic system: the presence of AIP initiates P2 promoter activity which leads to synthesis of more AIP. A better understanding of P2 promoter activity in the presence of AIP can therefore lead to a rational design or prediction of viral reproduction or DspB production in the prescence of S. aureus biofilm should they be engineered to act under the P2 promoter.

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Discussion