In vitro biosynthesis of autoinducer 2 of Steptococcus suis Serotype 2 using recombinant LuxS and Pfs

Quorum sensing is the cell population density-dependent regulation of gene expression by small signaling molecules, called autoinducers. LuxS and Pfs catalyze synthesis of the quorum-sensing signaling molecule autoinducer 2 (AI-2), which has been shown to control a variety of cellular processes. We studied the cloning, expression, and purification of LuxS and Pfs from Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 strain HA9801 (SS2); the two enzymes gave an apparent single protein band, and revealed a molecular mass of 21.74 and 28.44 kDa on an SDS-PAGE, respectively. Expressed and purified LuxS and Pfs were incubated with S-ribosylhomocysteine (SAH). The reaction products were able to induce luminescence of Vibrio harveyi BB170, clearly demonstrating that recombinant Pfs and LuxS synthesize AI-2 in vitro from SAH. Optimum pH and temperature for biosynthesis AI-2 in vitro were 8.0 and 37 °C, respectively. Biosynthesis AI-2 in vitro was stimulated by Cr3+, Al3+, and Ba2+and was inhibited by Fe2+ and Ni2+, respectively. It was strongly inhibited by Hg2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+, while enzyme activity was not affected by Li+, Mg2+, and Zn2+. In this study, we cloned, expressed, and purified LuxS and Pfs, identified the pathway of AI-2 synthesis in SS2, and analyzed the impact factor of AI-2 synthesis in vitro, which provided a solid basis for future research concerning the role of AI-2 in SS2.