The present invention pertains to the discovery that
B. anthracis
possesses a luxS gene that encodes a functional LuxS polypeptide, and that
B. anthracis
synthesizes a functional AI-2 quorum-sensing molecule. The invention provides mutant
B. anthracis
bacteria lacking the function of the luxS gene, which do not produce a functional AI-2 molecule and have growth defects compared to wild-type
B. anthracis
. The invention also concerns methods for inhibiting the growth of
B. anthracis
, or for preventing or treating
B. anthracis
infection, by inhibiting the activity of the
B. anthracis
LuxS polypeptide, or by exposure of the
B. anthracis
to furanone. In particular, the invention concerns the use of furanone, a compound that inhibits AI-2-mediated quorum-sensing, to inhibit the growth of
B. anthracis
, to inhibit
B. anthracis
toxin production, particularly that of protective antigen, and to prevent or treat
B. anthracis
infection. The invention also provides methods to prevent
B. anthracis
infection, or enhance an immune response to
B. anthracis
infection, by administering a vaccine comprising a
B. anthracis
cell in which the luxS gene is mutated.
本发明涉及到的发现是B. anthracis拥有一个编码功能性LuxS
多肽的luxS
基因,并且B. anthracis合成功能性AI-2类群体感应分子。本发明提供了缺乏luxS
基因功能、不产生功能性AI-2分子并且与野生型B. anthracis相比有生长缺陷的突变B. anthracis细菌。本发明还涉及通过抑制B. anthracis LuxS
多肽的活性或暴露于
呋喃酮来抑制B. anthracis的生长,或预防或治疗B. anthracis感染的方法。特别是,本发明涉及使用
呋喃酮这种抑制AI-2介导的类群体感应的化合物来抑制B. anthracis的生长,抑制B. anthracis毒素的产生,特别是保护性抗原的产生,并预防或治疗B. anthracis感染。本发明还提供了通过给予包含luxS
基因突变的B. anthracis细胞的疫苗来预防B. anthracis感染或增强对B. anthracis感染的免疫反应的方法。