The effect of the chemical, biological, and physical environment on quorum sensing in structured microbial communities.
As researchers attempt to study quorum sensing in relevant clinical or environmental settings, it is apparent that many factors have the potential to affect signaling. These factors span a range of physical, chemical, and biological variables that can impact signal production, stability and distribution. Optimizing experimental systems to natural or clinical environments may be crucial for defining when and where quorum sensing occurs. These points are illustrated in our case study of S. aureus signaling in biofilms, where signal stability may be affected by the host environment. The basic signaling schemes have been worked out at the molecular level for a few of the major quorum-sensing systems. As these studies continue to refine our understanding of these mechanisms, an emerging challenge is to identify if and when the local environment can affect signaling.
Horswill
Alexander R
AR
Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA 52242, USA.
Stoodley
Paul
P
Stewart
Philip S
PS
Parsek
Matthew R
MR
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000502:physiology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D018441:Biofilms; D002450:Cell Communication; D017753:Ecosystem; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
C088386:homoserine lactone; D015107:4-Butyrolactone