This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chet, I. Articles by Mitchell, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chet, I. Articles by Mitchell, R.

Chemical Detection of Microbial Prey by Bacterial Predators

^a Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Division of Engineering and Applied Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

ABSTRACT

A motile, predacious bacterium which degraded Pythium debaryanum was strongly attracted to substances released into the medium by the fungus. A nonpredacious bacterium was not attracted to these substances. The predator bacterium was specifically attracted to cellulose and its oligomers which are known to be components of the cell wall of Pythium. Ethanol inhibited chemotaxis of the bacterium without affecting either its motility or its ability to degrade cellulose. A second predacious bacterium was isolated for the alga, Skeletonema costatum. The role of chemoreception in the detection of microbial prey by bacterial predators in natural habitats is discussed.

¹ Present address: The Hebrew University, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hauser, D., Levandowsky, M, Glassgold, J. (1975). Ultrasensitive chemosensory responses by a protozoan to epinephrine and other neurochemicals. Science 190: 285-286 [Abstract]