Introduction
The first bacterial species in which quorum sensing systems were discovered were Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi. The quorum sensing systems in these two organisms remain paradigms for quorum sensing in all other species. Not surprisingly, a number of other Vibrio species possess quorum sensing systems. Research into Vibrio spp. in Nottingham is focused on the fish pathogen V. anguillarum. V. anguillarum has been reported to be the most important disease in marine fish agriculture and the major limiting factor in raising salmonid fish.

V. anguillarum has homologues of the V. fischeri luxI and luxR genes. These have been designated vanI and vanR. Homologues of some of the luxLM and luxN genes from V. harveyi have also been identified suggesting that V. anguillarum has two different quorum sensing systems. Research at Nottingham is carried out in collaboration with Debra Milton from Umeå University, Sweden.

Click here for more information on quorum sensing in Vibrio spp.

Researchers
Miguel Cámara, Paul Williams, Andrew Sanderson