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Stochastic Effects in Quorum Sensing

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Book cover The Physical Basis of Bacterial Quorum Communication

Part of the book series: Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering ((BIOMEDICAL))

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Abstract

Herein we review recent advances in the field of stochasticity in quorum sensing. The studies point toward the existence of mechanisms in bacteria for improving the signal-to-noise ratio in communication by adjusting the intensity of the fluctuations. Thus, in this chapter we first show how, at the onset of the QS transition, the autoinducer diffusion process conditions the QS dynamics and also, that the interplay between different sources of noise establishes ranges of diffusion values that minimize the noise at the autoinducer level. We also introduce a detailed model of the LuxI/LuxR system based on recently developed synthetic strains. This model allows us to illustrate how fluctuations interfere with the synchronization of the cell activation process and lead to a bimodal phenotypic distribution. In this context, we review the concept of precision in order to characterize the reliability of the QS communication process in the colony. In addition, we show that increasing the noise in the expression of LuxR helps cells to get activated at lower autoinducer concentrations but, at the same time, slows down the global response. These effects can be explained in the framework of the stochastic modification of the so-called phenotypic landscape. Finally, we present the main conclusions and discuss the relevance of these studies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Note that “noise” has been used with two different meanings: a stochastic contribution and, in this case, a quantity that effectively measures the effects of that stochastic contribution.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Co.S.Mo. Lab (Computer Simulation and Modeling), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, C/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, 08028, Spain

    Marc Weber

  2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, 111 Research Drive, Room D316, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA

    Javier Buceta

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  1. Marc Weber
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  2. Javier Buceta
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Correspondence to Javier Buceta .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Stephen J. Hagen

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Weber, M., Buceta, J. (2015). Stochastic Effects in Quorum Sensing. In: Hagen, S. (eds) The Physical Basis of Bacterial Quorum Communication. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1402-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1402-9_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1401-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1402-9

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