Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · Jun 2004
Pseudomonas aeruginosa with lasI quorum-sensing deficiency during corneal infection.
To understand the importance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing systems in the development of corneal infection, the genotypic characteristics and pathogenesis of seven ocular isolates with low-protease and acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) activity and quorum-sensing mutants of PAO1 deficient in lasI, lasR, or rhlR were investigated in the study. ⋯ These results indicate that quorum-sensing deficiency may occur naturally in clinical isolates, and the possession of lasI and hence a functional Las quorum-sensing system may be important in development of corneal infection.