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. 2007 Oct 26;318(5850):652-5.
doi: 10.1126/science.1147248.

A linear pentapeptide is a quorum-sensing factor required for mazEF-mediated cell death in Escherichia coli

Ilana Kolodkin-Gal  1 , Ronen Hazan, Ariel Gaathon, Shmuel Carmeli, Hanna Engelberg-Kulka
Affiliations

A linear pentapeptide is a quorum-sensing factor required for mazEF-mediated cell death in Escherichia coli

Ilana Kolodkin-Gal et al. Science. .

Abstract

mazEF is a toxin-antitoxin module located on many bacterial chromosomes, including those of pathogens. Here, we report that Escherichia coli mazEF-mediated cell death is a population phenomenon requiring a quorum-sensing molecule that we call the extracellular death factor (EDF). Structural analysis revealed that EDF is a linear pentapeptide, Asn-Asn-Trp-Asn-Asn. Each of the five amino acids of EDF is important for its activity.

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Comment in

  • Microbiology. Deadly priming.
    Kolter R. Kolter R. Science. 2007 Oct 26;318(5850):578-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1150704. Science. 2007. PMID: 17962544 No abstract available.

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