Plant pathogenic anaerobic bacteria use aromatic polyketides to access aerobic territory

Abstract

Protecting against too much of a good thing The slimy pink rot of potatoes is caused by the bacterium Clostridium puniceum , which cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. These bacteria produce a polyphenolic metabolite known as clostrubin that functions as an antibiotic. Shabuer et al. now show that the bacteria also use clostrubin to protect themselves from the aerobic environment of the potato tuber. Science , this issue p. 670