Autoinducer AI-2 is involved in regulating a variety of cellular processes in Salmonella Typhimurium

Salmonella Typhimurium is known to exhibit LuxS/AI-2-mediated cell signaling. We investigated the role of LuxS/AI-2 system on Salmonella Typhimurium protein expression using a proteomics approach based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE)-MALDI-MS. The global protein expression profiles of the wild-type, a luxS mutant, and a luxS mutant strain supplemented with AI-2 were compared. Seven proteins were differentially expressed when comparing the wild-type and luxS mutant strains, whereas 13 proteins were differentially expressed when comparisons were made between luxS mutant strains with and without AI-2 supplementation. The seven proteins that were differentially expressed between the wild-type and the luxS mutant strain were also differentially expressed in the luxS mutant strain supplemented with AI-2. The level of PhoP, a virulence determinant, was higher in the presence of AI-2. Proteins associated with the carbohydrate metabolism (pfkA, gpmI, and talB) and ATP synthesis (Pta gene product) were up-regulated by the presence of AI-2 molecules. These results provide experimental evidence that AI-2 molecules regulate a variety of cellular processes in Salmonella Typhimurium.