The bacterium of a hormone-like activity has been reported by a group of investigators at Baylor University College of Medicine.
The crude filtrate of a strain of Bacillus anthracis produced a reaction similar to that of 1-epinephrine when it was injected into animals.
This is believed to represent the first report of a hormone-like activity in bacterial filtrates, it was reported by Robert P. Williams, PhD, Harry S. Lipscomb, MD, and co-workers at the annual meeting in Houston of The American Physiological Society.
The Structure
The structure of this material, the role it may play in anthrax, and the possibility that similar metabolites are involved in other infections are under investigation."The possibility exists that other bacterial septicemias may be associated with the production of similar substances," Dr. Lipscomb, chairman of the department of biochemistry, said.Dr. Williams told The Journal that they have begun biochemical analysis of the material.