title: A crucial role for spatial distribution in bacterial quorum sensing.
abstract: Quorum sensing (QS) is a process that enables bacteria to communicate using secreted signaling molecules, and then makes a population of bacteria to regulate gene expression collectively and control behavior on a community-wide scale. Theoretical studies of efficiency sensing have suggested that both mass-transfer performance in the local environment and the spatial distribution of cells are key factors affecting QS. Here, an experimental model based on hydrogel microcapsules with a three-dimensional structure was established to investigate the influence of the spatial distribution of cells on bacterial QS. Vibrio harveyi cells formed different spatial distributions in the microcapsules, i.e., they formed cell aggregates with different structures and sizes. The cell aggregates displayed stronger QS than did unaggregated cells even when equal numbers of cells were present. Large aggregates (LA) of cells, with a size of approximately 25 μm, restricted many more autoinducers (AIs) than did small aggregates (SA), with a size of approximately 10 μm, thus demonstrating that aggregate size significantly affects QS. These findings provide a powerful demonstration of the fact that the spatial distribution of cells plays a crucial role in bacterial QS.
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huizhen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ruyun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.|University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Dalian University, Dalian Economic Technological Development Zone, Dalian 116622, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry; D005427:Flocculation; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000235:genetics*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014733:Vibrio / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002214:Capsules; D020100:Hydrogels; D007783:Lactones; C091088:N-octanoylhomoserine lactone; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C084288:luxM protein, Vibrio harveyi; C064778:LuxR autoinducer binding proteins; D006714:Homoserine; D010770:Phosphotransferases; C090750:luxQ protein, Vibrio harveyi