Abstract
Exchange of information between bacteria via physical signals, referred to as “distant interactions” (DI), is the subject of this review. All cases of DI reported to date are discussed, as well as the history of these studies and the place of DI in bacterial communication. Bacterial DI are a particular case of DI occurring in nature (in plants, animals, and fungi). Along with the chemical signals of intracellular communications, DI play a significant role in the life of microorganisms, especially during critical and transitional periods.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Morris, J.G., Bacterial Shock Responses,Endeavour, New Series, 1993, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 2–6.
Microbial Life in Extreme Environments, Kushner, D.J., Ed., London: Academic, 1978. Translated under the titleZhizn’ mikrobov v ekstremal’nykh usolviyakh, Moscow: Mir, 1981.
Sovetskii entsiklopedicheskii slovar’ (Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary), Moscow: Sovetskaya entsiklopediya, 1989, p. 617.
Kaprelyants, A.S. and Kell, D.K., Do Bacteria Need to Communicate Each Other for Growth?,Trends Microbiol., 1996, vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 237–242.
Wirth, R., Muscholl, A., and Wanner, G., The Role of Pheromones in Bacterial Interactions,Trends Microbiol., 1996, vol. 4, pp. 96–103.
Kaznacheev, V.P. and Mikhailova, L.P.,Sverkhslabye izlucheniya v mezhkletochnykh vzaimodeistviyakh (Ultraweak Radiation in Intercellular Communication), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1981.
Gurwitsch, A.G. and Gurwitsch, A.D.,Mitogeneticheskoe izluchenie. Fiziko-khimicheskie osnovy i prilozheniya v biologii i meditsine (Mitogenetic Radiation: Physicochemical Basis and Applications in Biology and Medicine), Moscow: Medgiz, 1945.
Kuzin, A.M.,Vtorichnye biogennye izlucheniya—luchi zhizni (Secondary Biogenic Radiation: The Rays of Life), Pushchino: ONTI PNTs RAN, 1997.
Matsuhashi, M., Pankrushina, A.N., Endoh, K., Watanabe, H., Mano, Y., Hyodo, M., Fujita, T., Kunugita, K., Kaneko, T., and Otani, S., Studies on Carbon Material Requirements for Bacterial Proliferation and Spore Germination under Stress Conditions: A New Mechanism Involving Transmission of Physical Signal,J. Bacteriol., 1995, vol. 177, no. 3, pp. 688–693.
Hollander, A. and Claus, W.D., An Experimental Study of the Problem of Mitogenetic Radiation,Bull. Nat. Res. Council., 1937, no. 100, pp. 2–96.
Wainwright, M., Microbiology’s “Mysterious Rays,”SGM Quarterly, 1994, Febr. 3–5.
Gurwitsch, A. and Gurwich, L., Uber den Ursprung der mitogenetischen Strahlen,Roux’Archiv, 1925, vol. 105, p. 470 (cited from [7]).
Rahn, O.,Invisible Radiations of Organisms, Berlin: Gebruder Borntaeger, 1936.
Wolpert, L.,The Unnatural Nature of Science, London: Faber & Faber, 1992.
Quickenden, T.I. and Tilbury, R.N., An Attempt to Stimulate Mitosis inSaccharomyces cerevisiae with the Ultraviolet Luminescence from Exponential Phase Cultures of This Yeast,Radiation Res., 1985, vol. 102, pp. 254–263.
Quickenden, T.I. and Tilbury, R.N., Luminescence Spectra of Exponential and Stationary Phase Cultures of Respiratory DeficientSaccharomyces cerevisiae, J. Photochem. Photobiol., 1991, Ser. B, no. 8, pp. 169–174.
Biophoton Emission. Multi-Author Review,Experientia, 1988, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 543–630.
Popp, F.A., Li, K.H., Mei, W.P., Galle, M., and Neurohr, R., Physical Aspects of Biophotons,Experientia, 1988, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 576–585.
Gurwitsch, A.A.,Problema mitogeneticheskogo izlucheniya kak aspekt molekulyarnoi biologii (The Problem of Mitogenetic Radiation as an Aspect of Molecular Biology), Moscow: Meditsina, 1968.
Kirkin, A.F., Nonchemical (Distant) Interactions among Cells in a Culture,Biofizika, 1981, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 839–843.
Biophotonics (Non-Equilibrium and Coherent Systems in Biology, Biophysics and Biotechnology),Proc. Int. Conf. Dedicated to 120th Birthday of A.G. Gurwitsch, Moscow: Bioinform Services, 1995.
Kaznacheev, V.P. and Mikhailova, L.P.,Bioinformatsionnaya funktsiya estestvennykh elektromagnitnykh polei (Bioinformational Function of Natural Electromagnetic Fields), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1985.
Nikolaev, Yu.A., Distant Interactions between Bacterial Cells,Mikrobiologiya, 1992, vol. 61, no. 6, pp. 1065–1071.
Baron, M.A., Uber mitogenetische Strahlung bei Protisten,Roux’ Archiv, 1926, vol. 108, p. 617 (cited from [13]).
Sewertzowa, L.B., Uber den Einfluss der mitogenetischen Strahlen auf die Vermehrung der Bakterien,Biol. Zentralbl., 1929, vol. 49, pp. 212–225.
Acs, L., Uber die mitogenetische Strahlung der Bakterien,Zentralbl. Bakt. I Abt. Orig, 1931, vol. 120, p. 116 (cited from [13]).
Wolff, L.K. and Ras, G., Einige Untersuchungen uber die mitogenetischen Strahlen von Gurwitsch,Zentralbl. Bakt. I Orig, 1931, vol. 123, p. 257 (cited from [13]).
Ferguson, A.J. and Rahn, O., Zum Nachweis mitogenetischer Strahlung durch Beschleunigters Wachstum der Bakterien,Arch. Mikrobiol., 1933, vol. 4, p. 574 (cited from [13]).
Christiansen, W., Das Menotoxin Problem und die mitogenetischen Strahlen,Ben Deutsch. Bot. Ges., 1929, vol. 47, p. 357 (cited from [13]).
Barnes, M.N. and Rahn, O., Totung von Hefen durch Strahlungen des menschlichen Korpers,Arch. Mikrobiol., 1933, vol. 4, p. 583 (cited from [13]).
Ferguson, A.J. and Rahn, O., Zum Nachweis mitogenetischer Strahlung durch Beschleunightes Wachstum der Bakterien,Arch. Mikrobiol., 1933, vol. 4, p. 574 (cited from [13]).
Gesenius, H., Uber Stoffwechwelwirkungen von Gurwitsch-Strahlen,Biochem. Z., 1930, vol. 225, p. 328.
Wainwright, M., Kilham, K., Russell, C., and Gravston, J., Partial Evidence for the Existence of Mitogenetic Radiation,Microbiology (Reading, UK), 1997, vol. 143, no. 1, pp. 1–3.
Matsuhashi, M., Shindo, A., Ohshima, H., Tobi, M., Endo, S., Watanabe, H., Watanabe, H., and Pankruchina, A.N., Cellular Signals Regulating Antibiotic Sensitivities of Bacteria,Microb. Drug Resist., 1996, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 91–93.
Matsuhashi, M., Pankrushina, A.N., Endoh, K., Watanabe, H., Ohshima, H., Tobi, M., Endo, S., Watanabe, H., Mano, Y., Hyodo, M., Kaneko, T., Otani, S., and Yoshimura, S., Studies onBacillus carbonifilus Cell Response to Growth-promoting Physical Signals from Cells of Homologous and Heterologous Bacteria,J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol., 1996, vol. 42, pp. 315–323.
Matsuhashi, M., Endon, K., Pankrushina, A.N., Watanabe, H., Yamamura, H., Komiyama, H., Endo, S., Tobi, M., Ohshima, H., Mano, Y., Hyodo, M., Kaneko, T., and Otani, S., Growth-promoting Effect of Carbon Material upon Bacterial Cells Propagating through a Distance,J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol., 1997, vol. 43, pp. 225–230.
Matsuhashi, M., Shindo, A., Endoh, K., Watanabe, H.,et al., β-Lactams and Other Innovative New Approaches for Controlling Bacterial Populations,Antibacterial Therapy: Achievements, Problems and Future Perspectives, Berlin: Springer, 1997, pp. 17–25.
Norris, V. and Hyland, J., Microcorrespondence,Mol. Microbiol., 1997, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 879–880.
Nikolaev, Yu.A., Regulation of the Adhesion ofPseudomonas fluorescens by Distant Intercellular Interactions,Mikrobiologiya, 2000, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 356–361.
Nikolaev, Yu.A., Prosser, J.I., and Wheatly, R.E., Regulation of the Adhesion ofPseudomonasfluorescens Cells to Glass by Extracellular Volatile Compounds,Mikrobiologiya, 2000, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 352–355.
Stempel, W.,Die unsichtbare Strahlung der Lebewesen, Jena: Gustav Fisher, 1932, p. 46 (cited from [13]).
Flavier, A.B., Clough, S.J., Schell, M.A., and Denny, T.P., Identification of 3-Hydroxypalmitic Acid Methyl Ester as a Novel Autoregulator Controlling Virulence inRalstonia solanaceum, Mol. Microbiol., 1997, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 251–259.
Beloussov, L.V. and Baskakov, I.V., A Reproduction of the Mitogenetic Experiments of the Gurwitsch School on Frog and Fish Cleaving Eggs,Biophotonics. Non-Equilibrium and Coherent Systems in Biology, Biophysics and Biotechnology: Proc Int. Conf. Dedicated to 120th Birthday of A.G. Gurwitsch, Moscow: Bioinform Services, 1995, pp. 191–200.
Quickenden, T.I. and Que Hee, S.S., On the Existence of Mitogenetic Radiation,Speculat. Sci. Technol., 1981, vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 453–464.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nikolaev, Y.A. Distant interactions in bacteria. Microbiology 69, 497–503 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02756798
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02756798