Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, 11420 Medical Research Building IV, 215B Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-0654, U.S.A.
Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2018 Oct 19;46(5):1107-1118. doi: 10.1042/BST20170311. Epub 2018 Sep 6.
A gasotransmitter is defined as a small, generally reactive, gaseous molecule that, in solution, is generated endogenously in an organism and exerts important signalling roles. It is noteworthy that these molecules are also toxic and antimicrobial. We ask: is this definition of a gasotransmitter appropriate in the cases of nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide (HS) in microbes? Recent advances show that, not only do bacteria synthesise each of these gases, but the molecules also have important signalling or messenger roles in addition to their toxic effects. However, strict application of the criteria proposed for a gasotransmitter leads us to conclude that the term 'small molecule signalling agent', as proposed by Fukuto and others, is preferable terminology.
气体信号分子被定义为一种小的、通常具有反应活性的气态分子，在生物体中以内源性方式产生，发挥重要的信号作用。值得注意的是，这些分子也具有毒性和抗菌作用。我们不禁要问：在微生物中，一氧化氮、一氧化碳和硫化氢（HS）是否符合气体信号分子的这一定义？最近的研究进展表明，不仅细菌可以合成这些气体，而且这些分子除了具有毒性作用外，还具有重要的信号或信使作用。然而，严格应用气体信号分子提出的标准，使我们得出结论，术语“小分子信号剂”，正如 Fukuto 等人所提出的，是更好的术语。
