Antibiotics as signalling molecules

• Published in: Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological sciences Vol. 362; no. 1483; pp. 1195 - 1200
• Main Authors: Yim, Grace, Huimi Wang, Helena, Davies FRS, Julian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London The Royal Society 29.07.2007
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism; Antibiotics; Antimicrobials; Bacteria; Ecological genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - physiology; Gram-Negative Bacteria - physiology; Gram-Positive Bacteria - physiology; Medical treatment; Microbial Communities; Molecules; Nature; Quorum sensing; Quorum Sensing - physiology; Receptors; Signal Transduction - physiology; Small Molecules; Transcription Modulation; Transcription, Genetic - physiology; Virulence
• ISSN: 0962-8436; 1471-2970
• DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2007.2044

We present the argument that the majority of low-molecular-weight organic compounds made and secreted by microbes play roles as cell-signalling molecules in the environment. Of the large number of compounds isolated to date, only a small fraction have been shown to possess useful therapeutic antibiotic activity. However, most microbial metabolites modulate gene transcription at low concentrations, and this is proposed to be the primary effect of the compounds in the maintenance of microbial communities in the environment. Thus, microbial metabolites constitute a large collection of cell-signalling molecules that regulate gene expression in microbial populations and possibly the interactions of these populations with the surrounding organisms.