Cannibalism and fratricide: mechanisms and raisons d'être.
Cannibalism and fratricide refer to the killing of genetically identical cells (siblings) that was recently documented in two Gram-positive species, Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. Cannibalism occurs during the early stages of sporulation in B. subtilis, whereas fratricide occurs in S. pneumoniae during natural genetic transformation. Here, we compare and contrast these two phenomena and discuss whether these processes are fundamentally different from the more traditional 'chemical warfare' among bacteria.
Claverys
Jean-Pierre
JP
Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Génétique Moléculaires, UMR 5100 CNRS-Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. claverys@ibcg.biotoul.fr
Håvarstein
Leiv S
LS
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000502:physiology*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins