Languages and dialects: bacterial communication beyond homoserine lactones

Trends Microbiol. 2015 Sep;23(9):521-3. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.07.002. Epub 2015 Jul 28.

Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs) for communication, predominantly mediated by LuxR-type receptors. Recent studies uncovered aryl-HSLs, α-pyrones and dialkylresorcinols as further chemical languages of Gram-negative bacteria. These findings extend the number of bacterial signaling molecules and suggest that cell-cell communication goes far beyond acyl-HSL signaling in nature.

Keywords: LuxR solos; Photorhabdus; aryl-HSL; dialkylresorcinols; photopyrones; quorum sensing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 4-Butyrolactone / analogs & derivatives*
  • 4-Butyrolactone / metabolism
  • Acyl-Butyrolactones / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / physiology*
  • Photorhabdus / physiology
  • Quorum Sensing*
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism

Substances

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • LuxR autoinducer binding proteins
  • homoserine lactone
  • 4-Butyrolactone