Cell-cell interactions in bacterial populations
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Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Using Coculture to Detect Chemically Mediated Interspecies Interactions
Published on: November 1, 2013
S A Voloshin1, A S Kaprelyants
1Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia.
Abstract:
In developing bacterial populations many essential processes, such as division, genetic transformation, sporulation, and synthesis of antibiotics and secondary metabolites, are regulated by intercellular communication mediated by secretion of signaling molecules, such as homoserine lactones and peptides. Another intercellular communication type, namely a physical contact between cells (cell aggregation), plays a key role in formation of biofilms or cellular consortia and in cell proliferation under unfavorable conditions. The mechanisms involved in these two types of bacterial communication are discussed in this review.
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