Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing as a potential antimicrobial target
TL;DR
Attack too early and the immune system crushes you. P. aeruginosa waits, counts its neighbors, and strikes only when it has overwhelming force.
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Demonstrates how pathogens use quorum sensing to strategically delay virulence until population density ensures success. Established quorum sensing as a potential antimicrobial target because disrupting coordination reduces pathogenicity without creating antibiotic resistance.
Key Findings from Smith & Iglewski (2003)
- P. aeruginosa coordinates virulence through two quorum sensing systems (las and rhl)
- Autoinducer concentration triggers threshold-dependent activation of virulence genes
- Strategic delay allows bacteria to overwhelm immune defenses through coordinated attack
- Quorum sensing inhibition could reduce virulence without promoting antibiotic resistance
- Human blood serum contains paraoxonases that naturally degrade bacterial autoinducers