Authors : Humera Quadriya, S. Adeeb Mujtaba Ali, J. Parameshwar, M. Manasa, M. Yahya Khan, Bee Hameeda
DOI : 10.1007/978-981-13-2429-1_10
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Year : 2018
Page No : 161-177
Quorum sensing (QS), the way bacteria interact, where in accumulation of threshold autoinducer concentration due to increased bacterial number, switches on signal transduction cascade to regulate gene expression. Bacteria possess signaling and receptor molecules, such as enzymes or proteins, mostly AHLs (acyl homoserine lactone) in Gram negative bacteria, oligopeptides in Gram positive bacteria. Microbes interact inter as well as intra specially (i.e., crosstalks) through QS and participate in controlling activities, like motility, biofilm synthesis, biosurfactant production, virulence, cell differentiation, nutrient flux etc. that has considerable impact on human health, agriculture, marine and other ecosystems. To provide beneficial effects to the plants, microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere and release QS molecules that regulate the production of exopolysaccharides essential for biofilm formation. In addition, to this biosurfactants (rhamnolipids) synthesized by Pseudomonas spp. regulate the course of quorum sensing. Biosurfactants are reported to affect the motility, participate in signaling and biofilm formation. The present chapter will be focusing on how the social behavior of microorganisms and their signaling molecules promote biosurfactant production and biofilm formation.