吲哚作为细菌细胞间信号分子的研究进展

Progress on indole: an intercellular signal molecule in microbial communities

吲哚广泛存在于自然界,目前已知超过145种革兰氏阳性和阴性细菌能产生吲哚,其中包括许多病原菌。随着细菌密度感应系统及其信号分子作用机制研究的深入,吲哚已被证实是肠道病原菌如致病性大肠杆菌、迟缓爱德华氏菌、霍乱弧菌等一类细胞间重要的信号分子,并参与细菌的多种生理活动,如毒力、抗药性、生物膜形成、运动性、质粒稳定性、抗酸性、孢子产生等。更为重要的是,吲哚及其衍生物还参与协调菌群竞争,有益于人体肠道菌群平衡和免疫系统。本文在吲哚作为细胞间信号分子参与迟缓爱德华氏菌的毒力、抗药性、生物膜形成和运动性的研究基础上,对近年来吲哚作为细菌细胞间信号分子的研究进展进行了综述。随着吲哚作用机制的进一步揭示,将有助于新型抗病原菌感染策略的研发和生物工程方面的应用。

Indole is widespread in the natural environment, as more than 145 Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria can produce indole, including many pathogenic bacteria. More and more mechanism studies have revealed that indole acts as an important intercellular signal molecule in some enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Edwardsiella tarda and Vibrio cholera, and controls diverse aspects of bacterial physiology, such as virulence, drug resistance, biofilm formation, motility, plasmid stability, acid resistance and spore formation. More importantly, indole and its derivatives regulate competition of microbial consortia and benefit digestive and immune system in human. We discuss our current study on the role of indole signaling in Edwardsiella tarda and review the progress of study on indole signaling in diverse bacterial species. Thus, better understanding of the indole signaling mechanism will help to develop new anti-infection strategies and their biotechnology applications.