Polyamines are positively charged hydrocarbons that are essential for the growth and cellular maintenance in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Polyamines have been demonstrated to play a role in bacterial pathogenicity and biofilm formation. However, the role of extracellular polyamines as a signaling molecule in the regulation of virulence is not investigated in detail. The bacterial pathogens residing in the respiratory tract remain asymptomatic for an extended period; however, the factors that lead to symptomatic behavior are poorly understood. Further investigation to understand the relation between the host‐secreted factors and virulence of pathogenic bacteria in the respiratory tract may provide insights into the pathogenesis of respiratory tract infections. Polyamines produced within the bacterial cell are generally sequestered. Therefore, the pool of extracellular polyamines formed by secretion of the commensals and the host may be one of the signaling molecules that might contribute toward the alterations in the expression of virulence factors in bacterial pathogens. Besides, convergent mechanisms of polyamine biosynthesis do exist across the border of species and genus level. Also, several novel polyamine transporters in the host and bacteria remain yet to be identified. The review focuses on the role of polyamines in the expression of virulence phenotypes and biofilm formation of the respiratory tract pathogens.

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多胺在呼吸道细菌病原体中的毒性

多胺是带正电荷的烃，对于原核生物和真核生物的生长和细胞维持至关重要。多胺已被证明在细菌致病性和生物膜形成中起作用。但是，未详细研究细胞外多胺作为信号分子在毒力调节中的作用。呼吸道中的细菌病原体在较长时间内无症状。但是，导致症状行为的因素了解得很少。进一步研究以了解宿主分泌因子与呼吸道中病原细菌毒力之间的关系可能会为呼吸道感染的发病机理提供见解。通常隔离细菌细胞内产生的多胺。所以，通过共生体和宿主的分泌形成的细胞外多胺池可能是可能导致细菌病原体中毒力因子表达改变的信号分子之一。此外，跨物种和属水平的边界确实存在多胺生物合成的收敛机制。同样，宿主中的几种新型多胺转运蛋白和细菌仍有待鉴定。综述集中在多胺在呼吸道病原体的毒力表型的表达和生物膜形成中的作用。跨物种和属水平的边界确实存在多胺生物合成的收敛机制。同样，宿主中的几种新型多胺转运蛋白和细菌仍有待鉴定。综述集中在多胺在呼吸道病原体的毒力表型的表达和生物膜形成中的作用。跨物种和属水平的边界确实存在多胺生物合成的收敛机制。同样，宿主中的几种新型多胺转运蛋白和细菌仍有待鉴定。综述集中在多胺在呼吸道病原体的毒力表型的表达和生物膜形成中的作用。