E. Takano
Jun 1, 2006
Citations
25
Influential Citations
328
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Current opinion in microbiology
Abstract
Small signalling molecules called gamma-butyrolactones are mainly produced by Streptomyces species in which they regulate antibiotic production and morphological differentiation. Their molecular mechanism of action has recently been unravelled in several streptomycetes, revealing a diverse and complex system. Gamma-butyrolactones and their receptors also occur in some other Actinobacteria, suggesting that this is a general regulatory system for antibiotic production. The gamma-butyrolactones bind to receptors, many of which are involved in regulation of specific antibiotic biosynthesis clusters. The importance of understanding how secondary metabolites are regulated and how environmental and physiological signals are sensed highlights the relevance of studying this system.