Gene involved in quorum-sensing system of acetic acid bacterium, acetic acid bacterium bred by modification of the gene and method for production of vinegar by using the acetic acid bacterium

A DNA encoding a protein selected from:

• (A) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (B) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence wherein one or more amino acids are substituted, deleted, inserted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and which has the activity of an acyl homoserine lactone synthase;
• or
• (C) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 85% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and which has the activity of an acyl homoserine lactone synthase.

A deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) selected from:

• (A) a DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 1639 to 2268 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• (B) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a DNA consisting of a sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 1639 to 2268 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, and which encodes a protein having the activity of an acyl homoserine lactone synthase;
• (C) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence produced from a part of the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 1639 to 2268 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 and having the function as a primer pair or a probe, and which encodes a protein having the activity of an acyl homoserine lactone synthase;
• or
• (D) a DNA which consists of a nucleotide sequence wherein one or more nucleotides are substituted, deleted, inserted or added in the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 1639 to 2268 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, and which encodes a protein having the activity of an acyl homoserine lactone synthase.

A protein selected from:

• (A) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3;
• (B) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence wherein one or more amino acids are substituted, deleted, inserted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, and which has the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor;
• or
• (C) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 85% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, and which has the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor.

A DNA encoding a protein selected from:

• (A) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3;
• (B) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence wherein one or more amino acids are substituted, deleted, inserted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, and which has the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor;
• or
• (C) a protein which consists of an amino acid sequence having at least 85% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, and which has the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor.

A DNA selected from:

• (A) a DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 849 to 1559 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• (B) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a DNA consisting of a sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 849 to 1559 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, and which encodes a protein having the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor;
• (C) a DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence produced from a part of the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 849 to 1559 and having the function as a primer pair or a probe, and which encodes a protein having the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor;
• or
• (D) a DNA which consists of a nucleotide sequence wherein 1 or more nucleotides are substituted, deleted, inserted or added in the nucleotide sequence of nucleotide numbers 849 to 1559 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, and which encodes a protein having the function as an acyl homoserine lactone receptor-type transcription factor.