AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Quorum sensing (QS) is a bacterial cell–cell communication process that involves the production, detection, and response to extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers (AIs).

Detailed explanation-2: -Some bacterial species can interpret many different signals, while others respond to a select few. Quorum-sensing allows individual bacteria within colonies to coordinate and carry out colony-wide functions such as: sporulation, bioluminescence, virulence, conjugation, competence and biofilm formation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Using Quorum sensing, bacteria can amass a high celldensity before virulence determinants are expressed, and in doing so, the bacteria are able to make a concerted attack and produceample virulence factors to overwhelm the hostdefenses.

Detailed explanation-4: -Both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria apply quorum sensing for communication, but they produce different auto-inducers.