Understanding Quorum Sensing
Have you ever wondered whether tiny bugs ‘talk’ to each other? What do they talk about? And what is their language of communication? These are the questions that intrigued scientists for a long time. When we talk about efficient communication, we mean a fast, effective way to receive and deliver information. And information can be in the form of a ‘signal’ to convey to each other that a task must be performed in synchrony.
In 1968, Kempner and Hanson found that the bacteria Vibrio fischeri began glowing when exposed to a medium previously used to grow bacteria. Later, in the early 1970s, Nealson explained the mechanism behind the response and called it auto-induction. Only in 1994 did Steven Winans call it Quorum sensing in one of his review papers. Word quorum literally means the minimum number of members required for an assembly or meeting to occur. And that’s exactly what it means with respect to bacterial communication.
Bacteria continuously release chemical signals, and their receptors are present in all bacterial cells. Once there are enough bacteria around (a quorum), the chemical signals reach a threshold, and the cell machinery is activated. The activation of cell machinery leads to the expression of genes required for a specific function. In most cases, it’s an all-or-none switch, although it can be species-specific, and in some bacteria, this response can be more gradual.
One common phenomenon in which bacteria use quorum sensing is biofilm formation. Biofilms are large assemblies of bacteria formed by coordinated behavior that cause changes in the bacteria, such as the formation of new appendages to attach to solid surfaces and the release of large amounts of slimy material to stick together. In advanced biofilms, systems allow water and nutrients into the deeper layers and release waste products. These biofilms notoriously increase resistance to harsh chemicals and antibiotics due to a thick protective layer.
Unlike humans, who cannot communicate with other species, bacteria can communicate with other species and, in some cases, help each other infect the host organism. Researchers are trying to understand Quorum sensing in pathogenic bacteria and to disrupt this communication to prevent these bacteria from causing infections or developing antimicrobial resistance. In India, various groups are testing plant compounds that can interfere with quorum sensing to reduce virulence. Also, in the agricultural context, Indian labs are studying quorum-sensing signaling molecules in microbes that fix nitrogen in soil and help with phosphate solubilization, so they can modify or interfere with them to benefit cultivation.
Overall, bacteria are highly efficient communicators, and their communication system helps them survive as a community. So yes, bacteria do talk, and their conversations are highly productive!
About the Author:
Sivang Goswami is a PhD student at IISER Pune studying the fundamental mechanisms of bacterial division in cell wall-less bacteria. He completed his undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of Delhi and a Master’s in Biotechnology from South Asian University. Passionate about science communication, Sivang enjoys writing stories and poetry to make fascinating scientific ideas accessible to general audiences.
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