Indole: an evolutionarily conserved influencer of behavior across kingdoms
Open accessAbstract
Indole is a key environmental cue that is used by many organisms. Based on its biochemistry, we suggest indole is used so universally, and by such different organisms, because it derives from the metabolism of tryptophan, a resource essential for many species yet rare in nature. These properties make it a valuable, environmental cue for resources almost universally important for promoting fitness. We then describe how indole is used to coordinate actions within organisms, to influence the behavior of conspecifics and can even be used to change the behavior of species that belong to other kingdoms. Drawing on the evolutionary framework that has been developed for understanding animal communication, we show how this is diversely achieved by indole acting as a cue, a manipulative signal, and an honest signal, as well as how indole can be used synergistically to amplify information conveyed by other molecules. Clarifying these distinct functions of indole identifies patterns that transcend different kingdoms of organisms.
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References 105 · Cited by 59
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- Authors
- Tomberlin, J. K., Crippen, T. L., Wu, G., Griffin, A. S., Wood, T. K., & Kilner, R. M.
- Affiliations
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Tomberlin, Jeffery K.
- ORCID
- Venue
- BioEssays
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-12-23
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 2
- ISSN
- 0265-9247 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-1878
- OpenAlex
- W2566246712
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 105
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 0.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- BioEssays (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bulletin of Moscow University, Series 16. Biology (Moscow University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo
- Funders
- Natural Environment Research Council (NE/H019731/1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Insect Science › Insect Pheromone Research and Control
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Keywords
- indole, tryptophan metabolism, environmental cues, animal communication, honest signaling, chemical communication, evolutionary conservation
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animal Communication, Bacteria, Biological Evolution, Female, Humans, Indoles, Male, Pheromones, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Microbial Interactions, Eukaryota
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