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Quorum sensing (QS) is a system by which bacteria communicate with each other according to the density of the population. Through this system, bacteria are able to coordinate changes in gene expression and thereby alter their phenotype to better adapt to the environment. Our group aims to harness this system to regulate gene expression in our modified bacteria. As more bacteria gather in the hypoxic tumour core, they sense the increase in population density, and then express the gene of interest. Therefore, by placing the gene of interest under both hypoxic and QS regulation, we can precisely regulate the expression of the therapeutic drug or gene.
The esaR binding site however, would be our repressor site, where esaR will bind to when there’s no quorum sensing. esaR is a homologue of luxR. Unlike luxR which is activated upon binding to AHL, esaR loses its ability to bind on the binding site after forming a complex with AHL. Generally, esaR is paired with another protein - esaI. esaI synthesises AHL, which interferes the binding capabilities of esaR.
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