Open AccessStimulation of bacterial growth by heat‐stable, norepinephrine‐induced autoinducers
Author(s) -
Freestone Primrose P.E,
Haigh Richard D,
Williams Peter H,
Lyte Mark
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb13449.x
Subject(s) - autoinducer , norepinephrine , stimulation , escherichia coli , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , endocrinology , quorum sensing , dopamine , virulence , gene
The ability of norepinephrine to increase the growth of Escherichia coli in a serum‐based medium has previously been shown to be due to the production of an autoinducer of growth during early log phase. Seventeen Gram‐negative and 6 Gram‐positive clinical isolates were examined for a similar ability to respond to norepinephrine, and to synthesise autoinducer. The majority of Gram‐negative strains both produced and responded to heat‐stable norepinephrine‐induced autoinducers of growth. Most of these autoinducers showed a high degree of cross‐species activity, suggesting the existence of a novel family of Gram‐negative bacterial signalling molecules. In contrast, although a number of Gram‐positive strains were able to respond to norepinephrine, the majority failed to produce autoinducers in the presence of norepinephrine.