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Science 24 February 2006:
Vol. 311. no. 5764, pp. 1113 - 1116
DOI: 10.1126/science.1121357
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Review

Bacterial Small-Molecule Signaling Pathways

Andrew Camilli1,2 and Bonnie L. Bassler1,3*

Bacteria use diverse small molecules for extra- and intracellular signaling. They scan small-molecule mixtures to access information about both their extracellular environment and their intracellular physiological status, and based on this information, they continuously interpret their circumstances and react rapidly to changes. Bacteria must integrate extra- and intracellular signaling information to mount appropriate responses to changes in their environment. We review recent research into two fundamental bacterial small-molecule signaling pathways: extracellular quorum-sensing signaling and intracellular cyclic dinucleotide signaling. We suggest how these two pathways may converge to control complex processes including multicellularity, biofilm formation, and virulence. We also outline new questions that have arisen from recent studies in these fields.

1 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111–1817, USA.
2 Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111–1817, USA.
3 Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544–1014, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bbassler{at}molbio.princeton.edu

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