Involvement of N‐acyl‐l‐homoserine lactone autoinducers in controlling the multicellular behaviour of Serratia liquefaciens

Several bacterial species possess the ability to differentiate into highly motile swarmer cells capable of rapid surface colonization. In Serratia liquefaciens, we demonstrate that initiation of swarmer-cell differentiation involves diffusible signal molecules that are released into the growth medium. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we...