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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (10): 894-901.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.16-139

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

RND efflux pump and its interrelationship with quorum sensing system

Zhibin Liang1, 2, Yumei Chen1, 2, Yufan Chen1, 2, Yingying Cheng2, Lianhui Zhang1, 2   

  1. 1. Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China;
    2. Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangzhou 510642, China
  • Received:2016-04-20 Revised:2016-08-02 Online:2016-10-20 Published:2016-10-20
  • Supported by:
    [Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No; 2015CB150600) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos; 31270170,31330002)]

Abstract: Antibiotic resistance has become a serious concern in treatment of bacterial infections. Overexpression of efflux pump is one of the important mechanisms in antibiotic resistance. In Gram negative bacteria, RND (Resistance-nodulation-cell division) superfamily efflux pump plays a vital important role in antibiotics resistance. Recent research progress unveils an intriguing interrelationship between RND efflux pump and the bacterial quorum sensing system, whose regulation is dependent on small signal molecules. This article reviews the latest findings on the structure and transport mechanism of RND efflux pump, as well as the general features and regulatory mechanisms of quorum sensing, with a special focus on the role and mechanism of quorum sensing system in regulation of RND efflux pump, and the influence of efflux pump on quorum sensing signal transportation. Further investigation of the interrelationship between RND efflux pumps and the bacterial quorum sensing systems is critical for elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms that govern the expression of the RND efflux pumps genes, and may also provide useful clues to overcome the efflux pump mediated antibiotic resistance.

Key words: RND effux pump, quorum sensing, regulation, signal transportation