Autoinducer 2 affects biofilm formation by Bacillus cereus

Cell-free supernatants from growing Bacillus cereus strain ATCC 10987 induced luminescence in a Photorhabdus luminescens Delta luxS mutant, indicating the production of functional autoinducer 2 (AI-2). The exogenous addition of in vitro synthesized AI-2 had an inhibitory effect on biofilm formation by B. cereus and promoted release of the cells from a preformed biofilm.