title: Streptomyces Exploration: Competition, Volatile Communication and New Bacterial Behaviours.
abstract: Streptomyces bacteria are prolific producers of specialized metabolites, and have a well studied, complex life cycle. Recent work has revealed a new type of Streptomyces growth termed 'exploration' - so named for the ability of explorer cells to rapidly traverse solid surfaces. Streptomyces exploration is stimulated by fungal interactions, and is associated with the production of an alkaline volatile organic compound (VOC) capable of inducing exploration by other streptomycetes. Here, we examine Streptomyces exploration from the perspectives of interkingdom interactions, pH-induced morphological switches, and VOC-mediated communication. The phenotypic diversity that can be revealed through microbial interactions and VOC exposure is providing us with insight into novel modes of microbial development, and an opportunity to exploit VOCs to stimulate desired microbial behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1.
authors.forename: Stephanie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1. Electronic address: melliot@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Marie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Bacterial development; Microbial competition; Streptomyces; Volatile compound