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Record Information
Version5.0
StatusDetected and Quantified
Creation Date2005-11-16 15:48:42 UTC
Update Date2023-02-21 17:15:07 UTC
HMDB IDHMDB0000738
Secondary Accession Numbers
  • HMDB00738
Metabolite Identification
Common NameIndole
DescriptionIndole is an aromatic heterocyclic organic compound. It has a bicyclic structure, consisting of a six-membered benzene ring fused to a five-membered nitrogen-containing pyrrole ring. The participation of the nitrogen lone electron pair in the aromatic ring means that indole is not a base, and it does not behave like a simple amine. Indole is a microbial metabolite and it can be produced by bacteria as a degradation product of the amino acid tryptophan. It occurs naturally in human feces and has an intense fecal smell. At very low concentrations, however, indole has a flowery smell and is a constituent of many flower scents (such as orange blossoms) and perfumes. As a volatile organic compound, indole has been identified as a fecal biomarker of Clostridium difficile infection (PMID: 30986230 ). Natural jasmine oil, used in the perfume industry, contains around 2.5% of indole. Indole also occurs in coal tar. Indole has been found to be produced in a number of bacterial genera including Alcaligenes, Aspergillus, Escherichia, and Pseudomonas (PMID: 23194589 , 2310183 , 9680309 ). Indole plays a role in bacterial biofilm formation, bacterial motility, bacterial virulence, plasmid stability, and antibiotic resistance. It also functions as an intercellular signalling molecule (PMID: 26115989 ). Recently, it was determined that the bacterial membrane-bound histidine sensor kinase (HK) known as CpxA acts as a bacterial indole sensor to facilitate signalling (PMID: 31164470 ). It has been found that decreased indole concentrations in the gut promote bacterial pathogenesis, while increased levels of indole in the gut decrease bacterial virulence gene expression (PMID: 31164470 ). As a result, enteric pathogens sense a gradient of indole concentrations in the gut to migrate to different niches and successfully establish an infection.
Structure
Data?1676999707
Synonyms
ValueSource
2,3-BenzopyrroleChEBI
indolChEBI
1-AzaindeneHMDB
1-BenzazoleHMDB
Benzo[b]pyrroleHMDB
KetoleHMDB
IndoleHMDB
Chemical FormulaC8H7N
Average Molecular Weight117.1479
Monoisotopic Molecular Weight117.057849229
IUPAC Name1H-indole
Traditional Nameindole
CAS Registry Number120-72-9
SMILES
N1C=CC2=C1C=CC=C2
InChI Identifier
InChI=1S/C8H7N/c1-2-4-8-7(3-1)5-6-9-8/h1-6,9H
InChI KeySIKJAQJRHWYJAI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Chemical Taxonomy
Description Belongs to the class of organic compounds known as indoles. Indoles are compounds containing an indole moiety, which consists of pyrrole ring fused to benzene to form 2,3-benzopyrrole.
KingdomOrganic compounds
Super ClassOrganoheterocyclic compounds
ClassIndoles and derivatives
Sub ClassIndoles
Direct ParentIndoles
Alternative Parents
Substituents
  • Indole
  • Benzenoid
  • Heteroaromatic compound
  • Pyrrole
  • Azacycle
  • Organic nitrogen compound
  • Organopnictogen compound
  • Hydrocarbon derivative
  • Organonitrogen compound
  • Aromatic heteropolycyclic compound
Molecular FrameworkAromatic heteropolycyclic compounds
External Descriptors
Ontology
Physiological effect
Disposition
Biological locationSource
Process
Role
Physical Properties
StateSolid
Experimental Molecular Properties
PropertyValueReference
Melting Point52.5 °CNot Available
Boiling Point253.00 to 254.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm HgThe Good Scents Company Information System
Water Solubility3.56 mg/mLNot Available
LogP2.14HANSCH,C ET AL. (1995)
Experimental Chromatographic Properties

Experimental Collision Cross Sections

Adduct TypeData SourceCCS Value (Å2)Reference
[M-H]-MetCCS_train_neg117.08530932474
[M+H]+MetCCS_train_pos120.98630932474
[M-H]-Not Available117.085http://allccs.zhulab.cn/database/detail?ID=AllCCS00000330
[M+H]+Not Available120.856http://allccs.zhulab.cn/database/detail?ID=AllCCS00000330
Predicted Molecular Properties
Predicted Chromatographic Properties
Spectra
Biological Properties
Cellular Locations
  • Membrane (predicted from logP)
Biospecimen Locations
  • Blood
  • Feces
  • Saliva
  • Urine
Tissue Locations
  • Epidermis
  • Fibroblasts
  • Intestine
  • Neuron
Pathways
Normal Concentrations
Abnormal Concentrations
Associated Disorders and Diseases
Disease References
Ulcerative colitis
  1. Garner CE, Smith S, de Lacy Costello B, White P, Spencer R, Probert CS, Ratcliffe NM: Volatile organic compounds from feces and their potential for diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease. FASEB J. 2007 Jun;21(8):1675-88. Epub 2007 Feb 21. [PubMed:17314143 ]
  2. Walton C, Fowler DP, Turner C, Jia W, Whitehead RN, Griffiths L, Dawson C, Waring RH, Ramsden DB, Cole JA, Cauchi M, Bessant C, Hunter JO: Analysis of volatile organic compounds of bacterial origin in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2013 Sep;19(10):2069-78. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0b013e31829a91f6. [PubMed:23867873 ]
  3. De Preter V, Machiels K, Joossens M, Arijs I, Matthys C, Vermeire S, Rutgeerts P, Verbeke K: Faecal metabolite profiling identifies medium-chain fatty acids as discriminating compounds in IBD. Gut. 2015 Mar;64(3):447-58. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-306423. Epub 2014 May 8. [PubMed:24811995 ]
  4. Ahmed I, Greenwood R, Costello B, Ratcliffe N, Probert CS: Investigation of faecal volatile organic metabolites as novel diagnostic biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Mar;43(5):596-611. doi: 10.1111/apt.13522. Epub 2016 Jan 25. [PubMed:26806034 ]
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  1. Raman M, Ahmed I, Gillevet PM, Probert CS, Ratcliffe NM, Smith S, Greenwood R, Sikaroodi M, Lam V, Crotty P, Bailey J, Myers RP, Rioux KP: Fecal microbiome and volatile organic compound metabolome in obese humans with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jul;11(7):868-75.e1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.02.015. Epub 2013 Feb 27. [PubMed:23454028 ]
Celiac disease
  1. Di Cagno R, De Angelis M, De Pasquale I, Ndagijimana M, Vernocchi P, Ricciuti P, Gagliardi F, Laghi L, Crecchio C, Guerzoni ME, Gobbetti M, Francavilla R: Duodenal and faecal microbiota of celiac children: molecular, phenotype and metabolome characterization. BMC Microbiol. 2011 Oct 4;11:219. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-11-219. [PubMed:21970810 ]
Crohn's disease
  1. Walton C, Fowler DP, Turner C, Jia W, Whitehead RN, Griffiths L, Dawson C, Waring RH, Ramsden DB, Cole JA, Cauchi M, Bessant C, Hunter JO: Analysis of volatile organic compounds of bacterial origin in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2013 Sep;19(10):2069-78. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0b013e31829a91f6. [PubMed:23867873 ]
  2. De Preter V, Machiels K, Joossens M, Arijs I, Matthys C, Vermeire S, Rutgeerts P, Verbeke K: Faecal metabolite profiling identifies medium-chain fatty acids as discriminating compounds in IBD. Gut. 2015 Mar;64(3):447-58. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-306423. Epub 2014 May 8. [PubMed:24811995 ]
  3. Ahmed I, Greenwood R, Costello B, Ratcliffe N, Probert CS: Investigation of faecal volatile organic metabolites as novel diagnostic biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Mar;43(5):596-611. doi: 10.1111/apt.13522. Epub 2016 Jan 25. [PubMed:26806034 ]
Irritable bowel syndrome
  1. Walton C, Fowler DP, Turner C, Jia W, Whitehead RN, Griffiths L, Dawson C, Waring RH, Ramsden DB, Cole JA, Cauchi M, Bessant C, Hunter JO: Analysis of volatile organic compounds of bacterial origin in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2013 Sep;19(10):2069-78. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0b013e31829a91f6. [PubMed:23867873 ]
Autism
  1. De Angelis M, Piccolo M, Vannini L, Siragusa S, De Giacomo A, Serrazzanetti DI, Cristofori F, Guerzoni ME, Gobbetti M, Francavilla R: Fecal microbiota and metabolome of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 9;8(10):e76993. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076993. eCollection 2013. [PubMed:24130822 ]
Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
  1. De Angelis M, Piccolo M, Vannini L, Siragusa S, De Giacomo A, Serrazzanetti DI, Cristofori F, Guerzoni ME, Gobbetti M, Francavilla R: Fecal microbiota and metabolome of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 9;8(10):e76993. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076993. eCollection 2013. [PubMed:24130822 ]
Clostridium difficile infection
  1. Darkoh C, Plants-Paris K, Bishoff D, DuPont HL: Clostridium difficile Modulates the Gut Microbiota by Inducing the Production of Indole, an Interkingdom Signaling and Antimicrobial Molecule. mSystems. 2019 Mar 19;4(2). pii: mSystems00346-18. doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00346-18. eCollection 2019 Mar-Apr. [PubMed:30944877 ]
  2. Patel M, Fowler D, Sizer J, Walton C: Faecal volatile biomarkers of Clostridium difficile infection. PLoS One. 2019 Apr 15;14(4):e0215256. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215256. eCollection 2019. [PubMed:30986230 ]
Perillyl alcohol administration for cancer treatment
  1. Silva CL, Passos M, Camara JS: Solid phase microextraction, mass spectrometry and metabolomic approaches for detection of potential urinary cancer biomarkers--a powerful strategy for breast cancer diagnosis. Talanta. 2012 Jan 30;89:360-8. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2011.12.041. Epub 2011 Dec 22. [PubMed:22284503 ]
Associated OMIM IDs
DrugBank IDDB04532
Phenol Explorer Compound IDNot Available
FooDB IDFDB012008
KNApSAcK IDC00001418
Chemspider ID776
KEGG Compound IDC00463
BioCyc IDINDOLE
BiGG IDNot Available
Wikipedia LinkIndole
METLIN ID286
PubChem Compound798
PDB IDNot Available
ChEBI ID16881
Food Biomarker OntologyNot Available
VMH IDINDOLE
MarkerDB IDMDB00029881
Good Scents IDrw1006511
References
Synthesis ReferenceGrigoleit, Georg; Oberkobusch, Rudolf; Collin, Gerd. Indole from 2-ethylaniline. Ger. Offen. (1973), 6 pp.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)Download (PDF)
General References

Enzymes

General function:
Involved in transcription regulator activity
Specific function:
Ligand-activated transcriptional activator. Binds to the XRE promoter region of genes it activates. Activates the expression of multiple phase I and II xenobiotic chemical metabolizing enzyme genes (such as the CYP1A1 gene). Mediates biochemical and toxic effects of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. Involved in cell-cycle regulation. Likely to play an important role in the development and maturation of many tissues
Gene Name:
AHR
Uniprot ID:
P35869
Molecular weight:
96146.7