Conditional quorum-sensing induction of a cyanide-insensitive terminal oxidase stabilizes cooperating populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Quorum sensing (QS) regulates production of ‘public goods’ by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which releases toxic hydrogen cyanide to constrain QS-deficient cheaters. Here, Yan et al. show that QS-proficient strains protect themselves by producing a cyanide-insensitive enzyme in response to reactive oxygen species released by cheaters.