Bacterial Sensing / Quorum Sensing (QS) system

Quorum Sensing (QS) is a regulatory mechanism that enables density-dependent coordination and phenotypic responses in the coexistence of, for example, bacteria and fungi.
Zhou et al. 2026 mBio 17: e03838-25

Importantly, bacteria possess quorum sensing (QS) signals systems for both intra and interspecies communication. Accordingly, there are species-specific and interspecies QS signals
Bassler & Miller 2013 In: Rosenberg E et al (eds) The prokaryotes – prokaryotic communities and ecophysiology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin & Heidelberg, pp 495–509

The human sex hormones estriol and estradiol decrease bacterial virulence by inhibiting Bacterial Sensing / Quorum Sensing (QS) system
Beury-Cirou et al. 2013 PloS One 8:e83564

Some autoinducer molecules (AI) communicate with host hormones to activate signaling pathways
Karavolos et al. 2013 Mol Microbiol 87: 455-65

Bacteria perform quorum sensing (QS), a communication based on producing and recognizing Autoinducer molecules (AI). These autoinducer molecules (AI) are hormone-like elements that regulate coordinated bacterial growth, motility, and virulence, among other things
Fuqua et al. 1996 Annu Rev Microbiol 50: 727-51

see also:
Bacillus subtilis
Palmitoleic Acid & ZDHHC5
Pathogenic Bacteria