kvorumi

Kvorumi, also known as quorum sensing, is a system of stimulus and response correlated to population density. It is a process used by bacteria to coordinate gene expression based on the local density of their population. Bacteria release and detect small signaling molecules called autoinducers. When the concentration of these autoinducers reaches a critical threshold, indicating a sufficient population density, it triggers a cascade of gene expression changes within the bacteria. These changes can affect a wide range of behaviors, including biofilm formation, virulence factor production, and bioluminescence.

The concept of quorum sensing was first discovered in the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri, which lives symbiotically with the Hawaiian bobtail squid. These bacteria produce light, but only when their population density is high enough to be useful for the squid's camouflage. Since its initial discovery, quorum sensing has been found to be widespread among various bacterial species, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative. Different bacterial species often use distinct autoinducer molecules, allowing for species-specific communication. However, some autoinducers can be recognized by multiple species, leading to interspecies communication.

Quorum sensing plays a significant role in bacterial pathogenesis, enabling bacteria to coordinate the expression of virulence factors and overwhelm host defenses. It also influences the formation of biofilms, which are communities of bacteria encased in a protective matrix, contributing to chronic infections and resistance to antibiotics. Understanding quorum sensing mechanisms offers potential targets for developing novel antimicrobial strategies that disrupt bacterial communication and collective behavior, rather than directly killing the bacteria. This could lead to therapies that are less likely to drive the evolution of resistance.