Figure 1.

Cell-to-cell communication systems in V. harveyi and their use in detection of signals in other bacteria. The structure of the LuxLM-derived signal, N-3-hydroxybutyryl homoserine lactone is shown (top right). The depiction of the V. harveyi-based cross-feeding assay used by Surette and Bassler (8) to detect AI-2-like factors in E. coli or S. typhimurium is not meant to imply that the V. harveyi reporter strain and the tested microbes normally communicate with each other in the natural environment.