title: Inhibitory effects of extracellular self-DNA: a general biological process?
abstract: Self-inhibition of growth has been observed in different organisms, but an underlying common mechanism has not been proposed so far. Recently, extracellular DNA (exDNA) has been reported as species-specific growth inhibitor in plants and proposed as an explanation of negative plant-soil feedback. In this work the effect of exDNA was tested on different species to assess the occurrence of such inhibition in organisms other than plants. Bioassays were performed on six species of different taxonomic groups, including bacteria, fungi, algae, plants, protozoa and insects. Treatments consisted in the addition to the growth substrate of conspecific and heterologous DNA at different concentration levels. Results showed that treatments with conspecific DNA always produced a concentration dependent growth inhibition, which instead was not observed in the case of heterologous DNA. Reported evidence suggests the generality of the observed phenomenon which opens new perspectives in the context of self-inhibition processes. Moreover, the existence of a general species-specific biological effect of exDNA raises interesting questions on its possible involvement in self-recognition mechanisms. Further investigation at molecular level will be required to unravel the specific functioning of the observed inhibitory effects.
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Mazzoleni
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Cartenì
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Giuliano
authors: G
authors: Bonanomi
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Senatore
authors: CNR-IGV, Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, via Università 133, Portici (NA), 80055, Italy.
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Termolino
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Giannino
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Incerti
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, PO Box 80115., TC Utrecht, 3508, the Netherlands.
authors: Max
authors: M
authors: Rietkerk
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Lanzotti
authors: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Naples Federico II, via Università 100, Portici (NA), 80055., Italy.
authors: Maria Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Chiusano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D004247:DNA / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000235:genetics; D016839:Physarum polycephalum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects*; D058493:Sarcophagidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D044444:Scenedesmus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012987:Soil; D013045:Species Specificity; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D004247:DNA
keywords: autotoxicity; exDNA; exDNA functions; heterologous DNA; self-recognition
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