Pure culture of an aquatic bacterium with and without a signal compound
(cyclic AMP) in its growth medium. In presence of the signal compound
(top) the cells become elongated
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Bacteria are able to communicate by means of released signal compounds. Signal compounds stimulate e.g. the generation of light in luminescent bacteria or they may cause changes of the shape of the cells. Moreover, the addition of certain signal compounds can increase the number of bacteria that grow in laboratory media.
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Bacteria from a lake
