In processes regulated by quorum sensing (QS) bacteria respond to the concentration of autoinducers in the environment to engage in group behaviours. Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is unique as it can foster interspecies communication. Currently, two AI-2 receptors are known, LuxP and LsrB, but bacteria lacking these receptors can also respond to AI-2. In this work, we present an efficient and reproducible synthesis of a novel chemical probe, d-desthiobiotin-AI-2. This probe binds both LuxP and LsrB receptors from different species of bacteria. Thus, this probe is able to bind receptors that recognise the two known biologically active forms of AI-2, presenting the plasticity essential for the identification of novel unknown AI-2 receptors. Moreover, a protocol to pull down receptors bound to d-desthiobiotin-AI-2 with anti-biotin antibodies has also been established. Altogether, this work highlights the potential of conjugating chemical signals to biotinylated derivatives to identify and tag signal receptors involved in quorum sensing or other chemical signalling processes.

在由群体感应（QS）调节的过程中，细菌会响应环境中自动诱导剂的浓度而参与群体行为。Autoinducer-2（AI-2）是独特的，因为它可以促进种间的交流。当前，已知两种AI-2受体LuxP和LsrB，但是缺少这些受体的细菌也可以对AI-2作出反应。在这项工作中，我们提出了一种新型化学探针d -desthiobiotin-AI-2的有效且可重复的合成。该探针结合来自不同细菌种类的LuxP和LsrB受体。因此，该探针能够结合识别两种已知的AI-2生物学活性形式的受体，从而提供了鉴定新型未知AI-2受体所必需的可塑性。而且，一种拉下与d结合的受体的方案还建立了具有抗生物素抗体的-desthiobiotin-AI-2。总而言之，这项工作突出了将化学信号与生物素化衍生物偶联以识别和标记涉及群体感应或其他化学信号传导过程的信号受体的潜力。