2. Academic Validation
  3. Roles of indole as an interspecies and interkingdom signaling molecule

Roles of indole as an interspecies and interkingdom signaling molecule

  • Trends Microbiol. 2015 Nov;23(11):707-718. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.08.001.
Jin-Hyung Lee 1,  Thomas K Wood 2,  Jintae Lee 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea.
  • 2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-4400, USA.
  • 3 School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 26439294 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.08.001
Abstract

A number of bacteria, and some Plants, produce large quantities of indole, which is widespread in animal intestinal tracts and in the rhizosphere. Indole, as an interspecies and interkingdom signaling molecule, plays important roles in Bacterial pathogenesis and eukaryotic immunity. Furthermore, indole and its derivatives are viewed as potential antivirulence compounds against antibiotic-resistant pathogens because of their ability to inhibit quorum sensing and virulence factor production. Indole modulates oxidative stress, intestinal inflammation, and hormone secretion in Animals, and it controls plant defense systems and growth. Insects and nematodes can recognize indole, which controls some of their behavior. This review presents current knowledge regarding indole and its derivatives, their biotechnological applications and their role in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.

Keywords

antivirulence approach; bacteria–host interaction; indole and its derivatives; interkingdom signaling molecule.

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