Like HL, PQS induces its own expression
as well as the expression of secretion vesicles required for PQS export. Further, PQS has antibacterial qualities, and may be used by P. aeruginosa to destroy rival bacterial cells by delivering PQS en masse via vesicular transport. It is hypothesized that this type of signaling is also required to carefully control growth of populations in delicate niches such as the lungs. This notion is supported by the fact that PQS and its precursor, hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline, are produced in the lungs of CF individuals selleck with P. aeruginosa infections (Machan et al., 1992), implying that it may have clinical relevance in treating such infections. Candida albicans is a widespread opportunistic Navitoclax manufacturer pathogen that causes high rates of mortality during systemic infections. Candida albicans also causes superficial mucosal infections, which can be intractable in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients (Koh et al., 2008). Its universal presence as part of the human gut flora makes C. albicans the most common cause of human fungal infections in general. The ability of C. albicans to freely transition between the yeast and hyphal forms has been shown to be critical for virulence (Lo et al., 1997). Candida albicans exhibits a complex quorum-sensing system utilizing the two secondary metabolites, tyrosol and farnesol, which have opposing effects. Farnesol inhibits transition
from the yeast morphotype to hyphal cells (Hornby et al., 2001; Nickerson et al., 2006); however, it cannot completely abolish hyphal development,
indicating that additional unknown inhibitory molecules with similar function must exist. Tyrosol stimulates a more rapid transition from yeast form cells to hyphal cells under favorable conditions (Chen et al., 2004). Urease Discovery of these secondary metabolite signals stems primarily from the observation that inoculation of stationary phase yeast cells into fresh medium at the optimal growth temperature (37 °C) induced hyphal formation. Fresh medium releases the yeast cells from the influence of secondary metabolite signals such as farnesol, present in the conditioned media, by diluting it. Recent studies in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans (Semighini et al., 2006) and the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum (Semighini et al., 2008) indicate that externally added farnesol triggers morphological features characteristic of apoptosis mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, farnesol appears to protect Candida from oxidative stress (Deveau et al., 2010). Farnesol also induces accumulation of intracellular ROS in Candida; however, this does not appear to be the mechanism of oxidative stress protection as attenuation of farnesol-mediated ROS build-up by antioxidants α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid failed to reduce oxidative stress resistance.