Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chemical Communication Within Microbial Biofilms: Chemotaxis and Quorum Sensing in Bacterial Cells

  • Chapter
Microbial Extracellular Polymeric Substances

Abstract

Bacteria obtain a wide range of information from their surrounding environment. This includes physical cues such as temperature and viscosity, inorganic cues such as pH, oxygen and ionic concentration, and various organic chemical cues (Karp-Boss et al. 1996). The successful adaptation of bacteria to changing natural conditions requires that the organism is able to sense and respond to its external environment and modulate gene expression accordingly (Pirhonen et al. 1993).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adler J (1983) Bacterial chemotaxis and molecular neurobiology. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 2: 803–804

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews JH (1995) What if bacteria are modular organisms? ASM News 61: 627–632

    Google Scholar 

  • Armitage JP (1992) Behavioral responses in bacteria. Annu Rev Physiol 54: 682–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bainton NJ, Bycroft BW, Chhabra SR, Stead P, Gledhill L, Hill PJ, Rees CED, Winson MK, Salmond GPC, Stewart GSAB, Williams P (1992) A general role for the lux autoinducer in bacterial cell signalling: control of antibiotic synthesis in Erwinia. Gene 116: 87–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bassler BL, Silverman MR (1995) Intercellular communication in marine Vibrio species: density-dependent regulation of the expression of bioluminescence. In: Hoch JA, Silhavy TJ (eds) Two-component signal transduction. ASM Press, Washingtion, pp 431–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Gassier BL, Wright M, Silverman MT (1994) Multiple signalling systems controlling expression of luminescence in Vibrio harveyi: sequence and function of genes encoding a second sensory pathway. Mol Microbiol 13: 273–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck von Bodman S, Farrand SK (1995) Capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and pathogenicity in Erwinia stewartii require induction by an N-acylhomoserine lactone autoinducer. J Bacteriol 177: 5000–5008

    Google Scholar 

  • Belas R (1996) Sensing, response and adaptation to surfaces: swarmer cell differentiation and behaviour. In: Fletcher M (ed) Bacterial adhesion: molecular and ecological diversity. Wiley, New York, pp 281–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Belas R, Colwell RR (1982) Adsorption kinetics of laterally and polarly flagellated Vibrio. J Bacteriol 151: 1569–1580

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackburn N, Azam F, Hagstrom A (1997) Spatially explicit simulations of a microbial food web. Limnol Oceanogr 42: 613–622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair DF (1995) How bacteria sense and swim. Annu Rev Microbiol 49: 489–522

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brint JM, Ohman DE (1995) Synthesis of multiple exoproducts in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is under the control of Rh1R-Rh1I, another set of regulators in strain PAO1 with homology to the autoinducer responsive LuxR-LuxI family. J Bacteriol 177: 7155–7163

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Budrene EU, Berg HC (1991) Complex patterns formed by motile cells of Escherichia coli. Nature 349: 630–636

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buikema WJ, Haselkorn R (1993) Molecular genetics of cyanobacterial developement. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 44: 33–52

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell DE, Costerton JW (1996) Are bacterial biofilms constrained to Darwin’s concept of evolution through natural selection? Microbiologia SEM 12: 347–358

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell DE, Wolfaardt GE, Korber DR, Lawrence JR (1997) Do bacterial communities transcend contemporary theories of ecology and evolution? Adv Microbial Ecol 15: 1–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao JG, Meighan EA (1989) Purification and structural identification of an autoinducer for the luminescence system of V. harveyi. J Biol Chem 264:21, 670–21, 676

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao JG, Meighan EA (1993) Biosynthesis and stereochemistry of the autoinducer controlling bioluminescence in Vibrio harveyi. J Bacteriol 175: 3856–3862

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chater KF (1993) Genetic differentiation in Streptomyces. Annu Rev Microbiol 47: 685–713

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee A, Cui Y, Lui Y, Dumenyo CK, Chatterjee AK (1995) Inactivation of rsmA leads to overproduction of extracellular pectinases, cellulases, and proteases in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora in the absence of the starvation/cell density-sensing signal, N-(3oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone. Appl Environ Microbiol 61: 1959–1967

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clewell DB (1993) Bacterial sex pheromone-induced plasmid transfer. Cell 73: 9–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clewell DB, Weaver KE (1989) Sex pheromone and plasmid transfer in Enterococcus faecalis. Plasmid 21: 175–184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costerton JW, Lewandoski Z, DeBeer D, Caldwell DE, Korber DR, James G (1994) Biofilms: the customized microniche. J Bacteriol 176: 2137–2142

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Craven R, Montie TC (1985) Regulation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa chemotaxis by the nitrogen source. J Bacteriol 164: 544–549

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cui Y, Chatterjee A, Liu Y, Dumenyo CK, Chatterjee AK (1995) Identification of a global repressor gene rsmA of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora that controls extracellular enzymes, N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone, and pathogenicity in soft-rotting Erwinia spp. J Bacteriol 177: 5108–5115

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies DG, Parsek MR, Pearson JP, Iglewski BH, Costerton JW, Greenberg EP (1998) The involvement of cell-to-cell signals in the development of a bacterial biofilm. Science 280: 295–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Decho AW (1990) Microbial exopolymers in ocean environments: their role(s) in food webs and marine processes. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 28: 73–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Decho AW (1990) Microbial exopolymers in ocean environments: their role(s) in food webs and marine processes. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 28: 73–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Delaquis PJ (1990) Colonization of model and meat surfaces by Pseudomonas fragi and Pseudomonas fluorescens, PhD thesis. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap PV, Greenberg EP (1991) Role of intercellular chemical communication in the Vibrio fischeri -monocentrid fish symbiosis. In: Dworkin M (ed) Microbial cell-cell interactions. ASM Press, pp 219–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunny GM, Brown BL, Clewell DB (1978) Induced cell aggregation and mating in Streptococcus faecalis:evidence for bacterial sex pheromone. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 75: 3479–3483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhard A, Burlingame AL, Eberhard C, Kenyon GL, Nealson KH, Oppenheimer NJ (1981) Structural identification of autoinducer of Photobacterium fischeri luciferase. Biochemistry 20: 2444–2449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhard A, Widrig CA, McBath P, Schineller JB (1986) Analogs of the autoinducer of bioluminescence in Vibrio fischeri. Arch Microbiol 146: 35–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engebrecht J, Nealson K, Silverman M (1983) Bacterial bioluminescence: isolation and genetic analysis of functions from Vibrio fischeri. Cell 32: 773–781

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuqua WC, Winans SC (1994) A LuxR-LuxI type regulatory system activates Agrobacterium Ti plasmid conjugal transfer in the presence of a plant tumor metabolite. J Bacteriol 176: 2796–2806

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuqua WC, Winans SC, Greenberg EP (1994) Quorum sensing in bacteria: the LuxR/LuxI family of cell density responsive transcriptional regulators. J Bacteriol 176: 269–275

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuqua C, Winans SC, Greenberg EP (1996) Census and consensus in bacterial ecosystems: the LuxR-LuxI family of quorum sensing transcriptional regulators. Annu Rev Microbiol 50: 727–751

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galli D, Wirth R, Wanner G (1989) Identification of aggregation substances of Enterococcus faecalis cells after induction by sex pheromones. Arch Microbiol 151: 486–490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galli D, Friesenegger A, Wirth R (1992) Transcriptional control of sex-pheromone-inducible genes on plasmid pADI of Enterococcus faecalis and sequence analysis of a third structural gene for (pPD1-encoded) aggregation substance. Mol Microbiol 6: 1297–1308

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilson L, Kuo A, Dunlap PV (1996) AinS and a new family of autoinducer synthesis proteins. J Bacteriol 177: 6946–6951

    Google Scholar 

  • Gjaltema A, Arts PAM, Van Loosdrecht MCM, Kuenen JG, Heijnen JJ (1994) Heterogeneity in biofilms in rotating annular reactors: occurrence, structure and consequences. Biotechnol Bioeng 44: 194–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray KM, Passador L, Iglewski BH (1994) Interchangability and specificity of components from the quorum sensing regulatory systems of Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol 176: 3076–3080

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg EP, Hastings JW, Ulitzur S (1979) Induction of luciferase synthesis in Beneckea harveyi by other marine bacteria. Arch Microbiol 120: 87–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haygood MG (1994) Light organ symbioses in fishes. Crit Rev Microbiol 19: 191–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedblom ML, Adler J (1983) Chemotactic response of Escherichia coli to chemically synthesized amino acids. J Bacteriol 155: 1463–1466

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horinouchi S, Beppu T (1992) Regulation of secondary metabolism and cell differentiation in Streptomyces: A-factor as a microbial hormone and the AfsR protein as a component of two-component regulatory system. Gene 115: 167–172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huisman GW, Kolter R (1994) Sensing starvation: a homoserine lactone-dependent signalling pathway in Escherichia coli. Science 265: 537–539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang I, Cook DM, Farrand SK (1995) A new regulatory element modulates homoserine lac- tone-mediated autoinduction of Ti plasmid conjugal transfer. J Bacteriol 177: 449–458

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ji G, Beavis RC, Novick RP (1995) Cell density control of staphylococcal virulence mediated by an octapeptide pheromone. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 12055–12059

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones S, Yu B, Bainton NJ, Birdsall M, Bycroft BW, Chhabra SR, Cox AJR, Golby P, Reeves PJ, Stephens S, Winson MK, Salmond GSAB, Williams P (1993) The lux autoinducer regulates the production of exoenzyme virulence determinants in Erwinia carotovora and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. EMBO J 12: 2477–2482

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser D, Losick R (1993) How and why bacteria talk to each other. Cell 73: 873–885

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan HB, Greenberg EP (1985) Diffusion of autoinducer is involved in regulation of the Vibrio fischeri luminescence systems. J Bacteriol 163: 1210–1214

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karp-Boss L, Boss E, Jumars PA (1996) Nutrient fluxes to planktonic osmotrophs in the presence of fluid motion. Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 34: 71–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly-Wintenberg K, Montie TC (1994) Chemotaxis to oligopeptides by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Appl Environ Microbiol 60: 363–367

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kjelleberg S, Ostling J, Holmquist L, Flardh K, Svenblad B, Jouper-Jann A, Weichart D, Albertson N (1993) Starvation and recovery of Vibrio. In: Guerrero R, Pedros-Alio C (eds) Trends in microbial ecology. Spanish Society for Microbiology, Barcelona, Spain, pp 169–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Korber DR, Lawrence JR, Zhang L, Caldwell DE (1990) Effect of gravity on bacterial deposition and orientation in laminar flow environments. Biofouling 2: 335–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korber DR, Lawrence JR, Hendry MJ, Caldwell DE (1993) Analysis of spatial variability within mot+ and mot- Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms using representative elements. Biofouling 7: 339–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo A, Slough NV, Dunlap PV (1994) Multiple N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone autoinducers of luminescence genes in the marine symbiotic bacterium Vibrio fischeri. J Bacteriol 176: 7558–7565

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Latifi A, Winson MK, Foglino M, Bycroft BW, Stewart GSAB (1995) Multiple homologues of LuxR and LuxI control expression of virulence determinants and secondary metabolites through quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Mol Microbiol 17: 333–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence JR, Korber DR (1993) Aspects of microbial surface colonization behavior. In: Guerrero R, Pedros-Alio C (eds) Trends in microbial ecology. Spanish Society for Microbiology, Barcelona, Spain, pp 113–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence JR, Delaquis PJ, Korber DR, Caldwell DE (1987) Behaviour of Pseudomonas fluorescens within the hydrodynamic boundary layers of surface microenvironments. Microbiol Ecol 14: 1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence JR, Korber DR, Hoyle BD, Costerton JW, Caldwell DE (1991) Optical sectioning of microbial biofilms. J Bacteriol 173: 6558–6567

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence JR, Korber DR, Caldwell DE (1992) Behavioural analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus variants in high-and low viscosity microenvironments by use of digital image processing. J Bacteriol 174: 5732–5739

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence JR, Korber DR, Wolfaardt GM, Caldwell DE (1995) Behavioral strategies of surface colonizing bacteria. Adv Microbiol Ecol 14: 1–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewandoski Z, Altobelli SA, Fukushima E (1993) NMR and microelectrode studies of hydrodynamics and kinetics in biofilms. Biotechnol Prog 9: 40–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang J, Scappino L, Haselkorn R (1992) The patA gene product, which contains a region similar to CheY of Escherichia coli, controls heterocyst pattern formation in the cyanobacterium Anabaena 7120. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89: 5655–5659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez-de-Victoria G, Fielder DR, Zimmer-Faust RK, Lovell CR (1994) Motility behaviour of Azospirillum species in response to aromatic compounds. Can J Microbiol 40: 704–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Losick R, Kaiser D (1997) Why and how bacteria communicate. Sci Amer 68–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall KC (1988) Adhesion and growth of bacteria at surfaces in oligotrophic habitats. Can J Microbiol 34: 503–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayr E (1963) Animal species and evolution. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • MA McCarter LL, Showalter RE, Silverman MR (1992) Genetic analysis of surface sensing in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Biofouling 5: 163–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGowan S, Sebaihia M, Jones S, Yu B, Bainton N (1995) Carbapenem antibiotic production in Erwinia carotovora is regulated by CarR, a homologue of the LuxR transcriptional activator. Microbiology 141: 541–550

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McKenney D, Brown KE, Allision DG (1995) Influence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoproducts on virulence factor production in Burkolderia cepacia: evidence of interspecies communication. J Bacteriol 177: 6989–6992

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McNab RM (1987) Motility and chemotaxis. In: Neidhardt IC, Ingraham JL, Low KB, Magasanik B, Schaechter M, Umbarger HE (eds) Escherichia coli and Salmonella tymphimurium: cellular and molecular biology. ASM Press, Washington, D.C., pp 732–759

    Google Scholar 

  • Moller S, Pedersen AR, Poulsen LK, Arvin E, Molin S (1996) Activity of three-dimensional distribution of toluene-degrading Pseudomonas putida in a multispecies biofilm assessed by quantitative in situ hybridization and scanning confocal laser microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol 62: 4632–4640

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nealson KH (1977) Autoinduction of bacterial luciferase: occurrence, mechanism and significance. Arch Microbiol 112: 73–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neu TR, Lawrence JR (1997) Development and structure of microbial biofilms in river water studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 24: 11–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ochsner UA, Reiser J (1995) Autoinducer-mediated regulation of rhamnolipid biosurfactant synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 6424–6428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ochsner UA, Koch AK, Reiser J (1994) Isolation and characterization of a regulatory gene affecting rhamnolipid biosurfactant synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol 176: 2044–2054

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parkinson JS (1993) Signal transduction schemes of bacteria. Cell 73: 857–871

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Passador L, Cook JM, Gambello MJ, Rust L, Iglewski BH (1993) Expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence genes requires cell-to-cell communication. Science 260: 1127–1130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Passador L, Tucker KD, Guertin KR (1996) Functional analysis of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa autoinducer PAI. J Bacteriol 178: 5995–6000

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson JP, Gray KM, Passador L, Tucker KD, Eberhard A, Iglewski BH, Greenberg EP (1994) Structure of the autoinducer required for expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91: 197–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson JP, Passador L, Iglewski BH, Greenberg EP (1995) A second N-acylhomoserine lac-tone signal produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 1490–1494

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pierson LS, Keppenne VD, Wood DW (1994) Phenazine antibiotic biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30–84 is regulated by phzR in response to cell density. J Bacteriol 176: 3966–3974

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piper KR, Beck von Bodman S, Farand SK (1993) Conjugation factor of Agrobacterium turnefaciens regulates Ti plasmid transfer by autoinduction. Nature 362: 448–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pirhonnen M, Flego D, Heikiheimo R, Palva ET (1993) A small diffusible signal molecule is responsible for the global control of virulence and exoenzyme production in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora. EMBO J 12: 2467–2476

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell MS, Slater NKH (1983) The deposition of bacterial cells from laminar flows onto solid surfaces. Biotechnol Bioeng 25: 891–900

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruby EG (1996) Lessons from a cooperative bacterial-animal association: the Vibrio fischeriEuprymna scolopes light organ. Annu Rev Microbiol 50: 591–624

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sar N, McCarter L, Simon M, Silverman M (1990) Chemotactic control of the two flagellar systems of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. J Bacteriol 172: 334–341

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer AL, Val DL, Hanzelka BL, Cronan JE, Greenberg EP (1996a) Generation of cell-to-cell signals in quorum sensing: acyl homoserine activity of a purified Vibrio fischeri LuxI protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 9505–9509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer AL, Hanzelka BL, Eberhard A (1996b) Quorum sensing in Vibrio fischeri: probing autoinducer-LuxR interactions with autoinducer analogs. J Bacteriol 178: 2897–2901

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schripsema J, Karel E, Theo B (1996) Bacteriocin small of Rhizobium leguminosarum belongs to the class of N-acyl- L-homoserine lactone molecules, known as autoinducers and as quorum sensing co-transcriptional factors. J Bacteriol 178: 366–371

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seed PC, Passador L, Iglewski BH (1995) Activation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa lasI gene by LasR and the Pseudomonas autoinducer PAI: an autoinduction regulatory hierarchy. J Bacteriol 177: 654–659

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman M, Simon MI (1977) Bacterial flagella. Annu Rev Microbiol 31: 397–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonea S (1991) Bacterial evolution without speciation. In: Margulis L, Fester R (eds) Symbiosis as a source of evolutionary innovation. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 95–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens AM, Greenberg EP (1997) Quorum sensing in Vibrio fischeri:essential elements for activation of the luminescence genes. J Bacteriol 179: 557–562

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Throup JP, Camara M, Briggs GS, Winson MK, Chhabra SR (1995) Characterisation of the yenl/yenR locus from Yersinia enterocolitica mediating the synthesis of two N-acylhomoserine lactone inducer molecules. Mol Microbiol 17: 345–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Torres-Cabassa A, Gottesman S, Frederick RD, Dolph PJ, Coplin DL (1987) Control of extra-cellular polysaccharide synthesis in Erwinia stewarti and Escherichia coli K-12: a common regulatory function. J Bacteriol 169: 4525–4531

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox M, Mitchison GJ, Smith IQ (1973) Pattern formation in the blue-green alga Anabaena. I. Basic mechanisms. J Cell Sci 12: 707–723

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wimpenny JWT (1992) Microbial systems: patterns in time and space. Adv Microb Ecol 12: 469–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Winson MK, Camara M, Latifi A, Fogino M, Chhabra SR, (1995) Multiple N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone signal molecules regulate production of virulence determinants and secondary metabolites in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 9427–9431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolk CP (1967) Physiological basis of the pattern of vegetative growth of a blue-green alga. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 57: 1246–1251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolk CP (1991) Genetic analysis of cyanobacterial development. Curr Opin Gen Dev 1: 336–341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu C, Bassler B, Roseman S (1993) Chemotaxis of the marine bacterium Vibrio furnissii to sugars: a potential mechanism for initiating the chitin catabolic cascade. J Biol Chem 268: 9405–9409

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Murphy PJ, Kerr A, Tate ME (1993) Agrobacterium conjugation and gene regulation by N-acyl-homoserine lactones. Nature 362: 446–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    Alan W. Decho

Authors
  1. Alan W. Decho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Aquatic Microbiology, University of Duisburg and IWW Center for Water Research, Geibelstraße 41, D-47057, Duisburg, Germany

    Jost Wingender  & Hans-Curt Flemming  & 

  2. Dept. of Inland Water Research Magdeburg, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Brücktraße 3a, D-39114, Magdeburg, Germany

    Thomas R. Neu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Decho, A.W. (1999). Chemical Communication Within Microbial Biofilms: Chemotaxis and Quorum Sensing in Bacterial Cells. In: Wingender, J., Neu, T.R., Flemming, HC. (eds) Microbial Extracellular Polymeric Substances. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60147-7_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60147-7_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64277-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-60147-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation