Bakterielle Kommunikation: Signale und Signal-inaktivierende Enzyme

Bacteria are social organisms capable of collective behaviors mediated by chemical communication or “quorum sensing” (QS). However, QS signal molecules often have multiple biological functions. Because many bacteri al pathogens regulate virulence gene expression via QS, these systems are attractive targets for antivirulence therapies. One possible strategy to interfere with QS is signal inactivation by quorum quenching enzymes.