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Plant microbiology

Quieting the raucous crowd

Many bacteria communicate by using dedicated signalling molecules. Signal-degrading enzymes from other bacteria interrupt the conversation, and can protect tobacco and potato plants from infection.

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Figure 1: Disabling soft rot: biochemical routes to the inactivation of acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules.

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Correspondence to Jared R. Leadbetter.

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Leadbetter, J. Quieting the raucous crowd. Nature 411, 748–749 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35081216

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