Abstract
It has been previously demonstrated that luciferase synthesis in the luminous marine bacteria, Beneckea harveyi and Photobacterium fischeri is induced only when sufficient concentrations of metabolic products (autoinducers) of these bacteria accumulate in growth media. Thus, when cells are cultured in liquid medium there is a lag in luciferase synthesis. A quantitative bioassay for B. harveyi autoinducer was developed and it was shown that many marine bacteria produce a substance that mimics its action, but in different amounts, (20–130% of the activity produced by B. harveyi) depending on the species and strain. This is referred to as alloinduction. None of the bacteria tested produced detectable quantities of inducer for P. fischeri luciferase synthesis. These findings may have significance with respect to the ecology of B. harveyi and P. fischeri.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- AB medium:
-
autoinducer bioassay medium
References
Austin, B., Zachary, A., Colwell, R. R.: Recognition of Beneckea natriegens (Payne et al.) Baumann et al. as a member of the genus Vibrio, as previously proposed by Webb and Payne. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 28, 315–317 (1978)
Baumann, P., Baumann, L., Mandel, M.: Taxonomy of marine bacteria: the genus Beneckea. J. Bacteriol. 107, 268–294 (1971)
Buchanan, R. E., Gibbons, N. E. (eds.): Bergey's manual of determinative bacteriology. 8th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins 1974
Eberhard, A.: Inhibition and activation of bacterial luciferase synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 109, 1101–1105 (1972)
Fitzgerald, J. M.: Classification of luminous bacteria from the light organ of the Australian pinecone fish, Cleidopus gloriamaris, Arch. Microbiol. 112, 153–156 (1977)
Hastings, J. W., Weber, G.: Total quantum flux of isotropic sources. J. Opt. Soc. Amer. 53, 1410–1415 (1963)
Lee, J. V., Donovan, T. J., Furniss, A. L.: Characterization. taxonomy, and emended description of Vibrio metschnikovii. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 28, 99–111 (1978)
Magner, J., Eberhard, A., Nealson, K.: Characterization of bioluminescent bacteria by studies of their inducers of luciferase synthesis. Biol. Bull. 143, p. 469 (1972)
Nealson, K. H.: Autoinduction of bacterial luciferase occurrence, mechanism and significance. Arch. Microbiol. 112, 73–79 (1977)
Nealson, K. H., Platt, T., Hastings, J. W.: Cellular control of the synthesis and activity of the bacterial luminescent system. J. Bacteriol. 104, 313–322 (1970)
Poinar, G. O., Jr., Thomas, G. M., Hess, R.: Charateristics of the specific bacterium associated with Heterorabditis bacteriophara (Heterohabditidae rhabditida). Nematologica 23, 97–102 (1977)
Reichelt, J. L., Baumann, P.: Taxonomy of the marine, luminous bacteria. Arch. Mikrobiol. 94, 283–330 (1973)
Reichelt, J. L., Baumann, P., Baumann, L.: Study of genetic relationships among marine species of the genera Beneckea and Photobacterium by means of in vitro DNA/DNA hybridization. Arch. Microbiol. 110, 101–120 (1976)
Reichelt, J. L., Nealson, K., Hastings, J. W.: The specificity of symbiosis: pony fish and luminescent bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 112, 157–161 (1977)
Ruby, E. G., Nealson, K. H.: Symbiotic association of Photobacterium fischeri with the marine luminous fish Monocentris japonica: a model of symbiosis based on bacterial studies. Biol. Bull. 151, 574–586 (1976)
Ruby, E. G., Morin, J. G.: Specificity of symbiosis between deep-sea fishes and psychrotrophic luminous bacteria. Deep-Sea Res 25, 161–167 (1978)
Wilson, E. O.: Sociobiology the new synthesis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Univ. Press 1975
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Greenberg, E.P., Hastings, J.W. & Ulitzur, S. Induction of luciferase synthesis in Beneckea harveyi by other marine bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 120, 87–91 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409093
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409093