Open AccessA biophysical limit for quorum sensing in biofilms
Author(s) -
Avaneesh V. Narla,
David Bruce Borenstein,
Ned S. Wingreen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2022818118
Subject(s) - quorum sensing , autoinducer , biofilm , limiting , population , biology , function (biology) , bacteria , extracellular polymeric substance , matrix (chemical analysis) , biochemical engineering , biological system , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , genetics , mechanical engineering , demography , chromatography , sociology , engineering
Significance Biofilms are a ubiquitous form of bacterial community. Within biofilms, bacteria communicate via chemical signals in a process called quorum sensing (QS). However, if signal production is nutrient-limited, then the nutrient-deficient interior of a biofilm cannot contribute to QS, which limits the ability of bacteria to assess their own population and behave accordingly. Numerical simulations of competitions among biofilm bacteria led us to discover a biophysical limit on the efficacy of nutrient-limited QS. In view of this limit, we conclude that to be most effective QS signal production should be a prized function that is not metabolically slaved.