Quorum-sensing and biofilm interactions
My group’s interest in S. aureus quorum-sensing lead us into biofilm studies on this important pathogen. We determined that the quorum-sensing system activates a biofilm dispersal pathway, and follow-up studies identified the cysteine proteases (Staphopains) as being the important end products of this pathway. Currently, we are investigating the targets of Staphopains in the S. aureus biofilm matrix.