title: Deciphering a protolanguage for bacteria-host communication.
abstract: Many of the phenotypes shown by bacteria at high population densities are only beneficial when they are associated with eukaryotic hosts. A new study confirms that some bacteria may couple quorum sensing to host-derived signals to refine such interactions.
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Blackwell
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C085427:LuxI protein, Bacteria; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C064778:LuxR autoinducer binding proteins; C088386:homoserine lactone; D015107:4-Butyrolactone