REGULATION OF VIRULENCE FACTORS IN PSEUDO MONAS-AERUGINOSA

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for nu merous nosocomial infections. A wide variety of extracellular enzymes and toxins contribute to the virulence of this bacterium. Most of thes e virulence factors are not synthesized constitutively and are very of ten produced in response to multiple environmental stimuli. This adapt ation is frequently mediated by two-component regulatory systems. Furt hermore, the production of many virulence factors and secondary metabo lites is regulated in correlation with cell density through so-called quorum sensing.