Bacterial Quorum Sensing: Its Role in Virulence and Possibilities for Its Control

Quorum sensing is a process of cell-cell communication that allows bacteria to share information about cell density and adjust gene expression accordingly. This process enables bacteria to express energetically expensive processes as a collective only when the impact of those processes on the environment or on a host will be maximized. Among the many traits controlled by quorum sensing is the expression of virulence factors by pathogenic bacteria. Here we review the quorum-sensing circuits of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio cholerae. We outline these canonical quorum-sensing mechanisms and how each uniquely controls virulence factor production. Additionally, we…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: MCB-0343821, 0343821
• HH
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: 5R01GM065859