Quorum sensing controls the pseudomonas aeruginosa CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system

Nina M. Høyland-Kroghsbo, Jon Paczkowski, Sampriti Mukherjee, Jenny Broniewski, Edze Westra, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Bonnie L. Bassler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

214 Scopus citations

Abstract

CRISPR-Cas are prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that provide protection against bacteriophage (phage) and other parasites. Little is known about how CRISPR-Cas systems are regulated, preventing prediction of phage dynamics in nature and manipulation of phage resistance in clinical settings. Here, we show that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 uses the cell-cell communication process, called quorum sensing, to activate cas gene expression, to increase CRISPR-Cas targeting of foreign DNA, and to promote CRISPR adaptation, all at high cell density. This regulatory mechanism ensures maximum CRISPR-Cas function when bacterial populations are at highest risk for phage infection. We demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas activity and acquisition of resistance can be modulated by administration of proand antiquorum-sensing compounds. We propose that quorum-sensing inhibitors could be used to suppress the CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system to enhance medical applications, including phage therapies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)131-135
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume114
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 3 2017

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

Keywords

  • Immunity|
  • Phage|phage defense
  • Quorum sensing|crispr|

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