How Bacteria Communicate.

● QUORUM SENSING :

Mechanism by which bacteria communicate with one another.

Purpose is to ensure that sufficient cell number, of a given species is present, before initiating a response.

A single bacterial cell secreting a toxin into a host organism, is not likely to do harm and would waste resources. However, in large population, a coordinated expression of toxin is most likely to result in desired harm.

Bacteria use quorum sensing, to coordinate certain behavior like Biofilm formation, Virulence and Antibiotic resistance.

It is achieved by secreting autoinducer by individual bacteria. When an autoinducer reaches a certain threshold, bacteria detects and responds by altering gene expression.

● QUORUM QUENCHING :

Process of preventing quorum sensing by disrupting the signal.

Breaking the quorum sensing or utilizing quorum quenching, biofilm formation can be minimized, bacterial Virulence and resistance can be controlled.

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