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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
Published on: January 1, 2016
[Quorum sensing and its roles in pathogenesis among animal-associated pathogens--a review]
Qingping Wu1, Kui Wu, Yingwang Ye
1Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou 510070, China. wuqp203@yahoo.com.cn
Abstract:
Quorum sensing (QS) is a phenomenon that microbes regulate some of their genes by signals related to the density of population. It is confirmed that acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL), some peptides, some furanones and some other small moleculars can be used as quorum-sensing signals by microbes. Microbes control their physiology with different QS systems in parallel or hierarchical ways. A lot of microbial pathogenesis connect with quorum sensing closely. More and more studies show that QS systems regulate microbial pathogenesis through the following points: (1) QS helping pathogens invasion and colonization; (2) QS regulating production of virulent factor; (3) QS giving pathogens the ability of immunity or drug resistance. We review the role of QS in microbial pathogenesis and address a new way to prevent and control microbial diseases.
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