Histamine: A Bacterial Signal Molecule

The Production of Histamine in Bacterial Cultures.

In a previous paper (Eggerth, Littwin, and Deutsch, 1939) a simple and convenient method for the quantitative determination of histamine in bacterial cultures has been described. By this method, the cultures are made alkaline with sodium carbonate, then extracted in a special apparatus with a mixture of chloroform and amyl alcohol, the histamine passing into a layer of dilute sulfuric acid. Amm...

The Determination of Histamine in Bacterial Cultures.

Ethylene: a gaseous signal molecule in plants.

Ethylene regulates a multitude of plant processes, ranging from seed germination to organ senescence. Of particular economic importance is the role of ethylene as an inducer of fruit ripening. Ethylene is synthesized from S-adenosyl-L-methionine via 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). The enzymes catalyzing the two reactions in this pathway are ACC synthase and ACC oxidase. Environment...

Bacterial small-molecule signaling pathways.

Bacteria use diverse small molecules for extra- and intracellular signaling. They scan small-molecule mixtures to access information about both their extracellular environment and their intracellular physiological status, and based on this information, they continuously interpret their circumstances and react rapidly to changes. Bacteria must integrate extra- and intracellular signaling informa...

Histamine in Allergic Diseases: an Old Molecule in New Concepts