Chemoattraction of Vibrio fischeri to serine, nucleosides, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, a component of squid light-organ mucus

Newly hatched juveniles of the Hawaiian squid Euprymna scolopes rapidly become colonized by the bioluminescent marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Motility is required to establish the symbiotic colonization, but the role of chemotaxis is unknown. In this study we analyzed chemotaxis of V. fischeri to a number of potential attractants. The bacterium migrated toward serine and most sugars tested. V. fischeri also exhibited the unusual ability to migrate to nucleosides and nucleotides as well as to N-acetylneuraminic acid, a component of squid mucus.