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Title: Recent Insights into the Diversity, Frequency and Ecological Roles of Phenazines in Fluorescent Pseudomonas spp.

Author
item MAVRODI, DMITRI - Washington State University
item PAREJKO, JAMES - Washington State University
item MAVRODI, OLGA - Washington State University
item KWAK, YOUN-SIG - Gyeongsang National University
item Weller, David
item BLANKENFELDT, WULF - University Of Bayreuth
item Thomashow, Linda

Submitted to: Environmental Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2012
Publication Date: 3/20/2013
Citation: Mavrodi, D.V., Parejko, J.A., Mavrodi, O.V., Kwak, Y., Weller, D.M., Blankenfeldt, W., Thomashow, L.S. 2013. Recent insights into the diversity, frequency and ecological roles of phenazines in fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. Environmental Microbiology. 15(3):675-686.

Interpretive Summary: Phenazine compounds are small molecules produced by a few microbial species. Because they typically are colored, they attracted the attention of scientists over 100 years ago. For some time it has been known that they have a role in the virulence of the opportunistic animal pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the suppression of fungal plant pathogens, but it is only recently that the complexity of their role in nature has been appreciated. Recent research has revealed new knowledge about the genetics, biosynthesis, and biological activity of phenazines, and their contribution to the physiology of the cells that produce them. This mini-review highlights some recent and exciting insights in the diversity, frequency and ecological roles of phenazines produced by fluorescent Pseudomonas bacteria.

Technical Abstract: Phenazine compounds represent a large class of bacterial metabolites that are produced by some fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and a few other bacterial genera. Phenazines were first noted in the scientific literature over 100 years ago, but for a long time were considered to be pigments of uncertain function. Following evidence that phenazines act as virulence factors in the opportunistic human and animal pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and are actively involved in the suppression of plant pathogens, interest in these compounds has broadened to include investigations of their genetics, biosynthesis, activity as electron shuttles, and contribution to the ecology and physiology of the cells that produce them. This mini-review highlights some recent and exciting insights in the diversity, frequency and ecological roles of phenazines produced by fluorescent Pseudomonas spp.