QUORUMTURKU

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QUORUM-TURKU
WP3-1A MICROARRAYS
Juhani Soini, Adj. Prof., Head of Quorum Project
Turku juhani.soini_at_utu.fi

• BioCity Turku
• University of Turku
• Åbo Akademi University
• Turku University of
• Applied Sciences

• DNA MICROARRAY APPLICATIONS
• HIGH CONTENT SCREENING
• BIOINFORMATICS
• DATA HANDLING AND STORAGE

Annika Brandt, PhD Managing Coordinator Quorum
Project Turku annika.brandt_at_btk.fi
Elina Palonen PhD Student ISB Graduate
School elina.palonen_at_btk.fi
Finland
Clarissa Rios Rojas International
Exchange Student (CIMO), Peru clarissa.rios_at_btk.fi
Turku
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ABSTRACTQuorum Sensing is a phenomenon where a
microbial population communicates in a
synchronized manner through small, signalling
Quorum Sensing molecules in response to changes
in population density. When a critical threshold
concentration of these signalling molecules is
reached the microbial response is triggered. The
response takes place at the transcriptional level
leading to changes in expression levels of genes
involved in Quorum Sensing, giving rise to many
biological processes, such as bioluminescence,
biofilm formation, expression of virulence
factors and production of antibiotics 1, 2.
While Quorum Sensing has been widely studied in
bacteria, there clearly is a demand for these
studies in filamentous fungi and basidiomycetes.
To elucidate the mechanism of Quorum Sensing in
fungi we intend to exploit and develop
bioinformatics analysis tools for subsequent gene
expression analyses using DNA microarrays. This
work constitutes the transcriptome analysis part
in a collaborative multidisciplinary omics
initiative of a Quorum EU-Consortium to screen
and characterize novel Quorum Sensing molecules
in fermenting fungi.
References 1. Miller, M. B. and Bassler, B. L.
(2001). Annu Rev Microbiol 55 165-99. 2. Fuqua,
C., Parsek, M. R. and Greenberg, E. P. (2001).
Annu Rev Genet 35 439-68.